Agri-NorMin kicks off Veggie Derby

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – Aiming to scale up vegetable production in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (Agri-NorMin), in partnership with private seed companies, stages a ceremonial planting activity for its Vegetable Derby on May 12 at Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC), here.

Agri-NorMin High Value Crops Development Program focal Marnelly Ann P. Flores said the initiative aims to showcase various high-performing vegetable seed varieties suited for Northern Mindanao’s climate and growing conditions.

The activity is conducted in collaboration with seed companies, including Pilipinas Kaneko Seeds, Corp., Ramgo International, Corp., Allied Botanical, Corp., and East-West Seed Philippines and fertilizer and chemical companies such as Yara Philippines, Soil Life, Corp., Enviro Scope Synergy Inc. and EPI Philippines.

Covering an area of 3,154 square meters, the derby is set to showcase commodities such as lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, Chinese cabbage, okra, squash, and ampalaya, among others.

For his part, Agri-NorMin Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan emphasized the importance of partnerships in improving farmers’ access to quality planting materials and increasing vegetable productivity across the region.

“This initiative will guide us as we scale up our procurement of inputs. We are also looking at the areas of Lantapan and Talakag in Bukidnon, as well as Claveria, Misamis Oriental, for the expansion of this initiative to further benefit more vegetable farmers in the region,” he shared.

The veggie derby will also serve as a learning platform for farmers, agricultural technicians, and other stakeholders by demonstrating sustainable farming practices and modern technologies, while evaluating the growth performance, yield potential, resistance, and adaptability of different vegetables under actual field conditions.