Upland Leyte village to host first vegetable expo

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 25 (PNA) -- The first Leyte Vegetable Expo 2016 on November 28 will be held at Villaconzoilo village, an upland village in Jaro, Leyte, organized by the farmer-members of the Villaconzoilo Community Association.

Alex Aborita, village chief and president of the organization, said the expo will showcase the variety of harvests from daily vegetable fare to salad-type vegetables like lettuce, cherry tomatoes and sweet bell peppers.

They invited Senators Cynthia Villar, Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

It will be an event to introduce the new produce of the multi-awarded farmers-group. They just successfully experiment planting strawberry, asparagus and red onions. And now they are into tilapia and hog raising.

It won the Agriculture Initiative Category for championing the agriculture industry in the country in the TOFARM –The Outstanding Farmers Award by the Jaycees International.

The group is led by Arbonita, who is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the Visayas State University, Alang-Alang, Leyte campus.

The association started in 2010 when 18 farmers bonded together to start compact farming with an initial capital of PHP1,000 and two-hectare land.

They first grew native vegetables and later shifted to “salad-type” vegetables that are not normally grown in Leyte province and Eastern Visayas region.

The farmers now have PH P4 million cash in bank and PHP20 million assets, including the 28 hectares of land they are currently cultivating.

Seeing the potential of this farming village, the Provincial Agriculture’s Office conducted technical assistance to this upland village, which is seven kilometers from the town center, half of which is rough road.

The cooperative which was formally created and registered at the Cooperative Development Authority last Jan. 25, 2016 now boasts of 38 members.

“We maintain a wide support to our farmers, we always motivate them in pursuit of agriculture excellence under the More Income in the Countryside or MIC Program,” said Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominic Petilla.

The award-winning Aborita said their cooperative is community-based and their programs and projects aim to help the government solve poverty and hunger.

The farm produces high-value vegetables including lettuce, radish, Baguio beans, carrots, broccoli, cauliflowers, eggplants, onions, ginger, cucumber, turmeric, sweet bell peppers and cherry tomatoes.

Their distribution market included Robinson’s Place Tacloban, Save More Tacloban, Gaisano Main and Gaisano Central and the Max Group of companies.

They also allotted 11 hectares for root crops, jackfruit, rambutan, durian, banana, lanzones, papaya, seven hectares of land planted with the Queen watermelon of the sweetest variety and six hectares of land planted with cacao.

The TOFARM Awards was launched in 2012 to inspire and encourage farmers to remain true to their noble calling.

The Villaconzoilo Community Association received PHP100,000 cash award and a gold-plated trophy. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR