W Mindanao growers organize for quality veggies, fruits

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Fruit and vegetable growers in Western Mindanao are organizing themselves as producer associations in order to provide high quality goods for both domestic and foreign markets. Inspired by the success of their Northern and Southern Mindanao counterparts, Western growers are keen to learn best practices and post harvest technologies that will help them achieve higher prices for quality produce.

Created during the recent 1st Regional Fruits and Vegetable Congress in Zamboanga City, the interim board for the Western Mindanao Vegetable Council is set to take the lead in this organizational effort. Interim Board Chair Jesus Jamolod says he and his colleagues are working double time to ‘catch up’ with their Northern and Southern counterparts.

Dante Sarraga Jr., trustee of the Northern Mindanao Vegetable Producers Association Inc. (NorminVeggies), says their association, as well as other industry players, are helping Western Mindanao growers strengthen their organization to improve their competitiveness and that of Mindanao as a whole. Northern Mindanao producers have been sharing their technology and experience with their southern and western counterparts.

"We need to solidify our ranks and work together to be efficient in producing, marketing and shipping out Mindanao vegetables," Sarraga said. NorMinVeggies has helped Northern Mindanao farmers consolidate their quality produce and increase sales of high value commodities such as lettuce, broccoli and sweet corn to institutional buyers in Manila.

For the past two years, NorminVeggies has been shipping vegetables in refrigerated vans rather than by air resulting in a huge reduction in transport costs. It has also implemented a program to consolidate fresh produce from various farmer-members. This success is now being replicated by the Vegetable Industry Council of Southern Mindanao.

Mindanao Fruit Industry Development Council (MinFruit) is another producer association which is helping Western Mindanao growers. MinFruit Executive Director Benjamin Roy points out that organized producer associations can "share technologies and improve productivity. Appropriate post harvest also minimize losses".

Jamolod beleives that Western Mindanao, the country’s main producer of seaweed, can help boost the quality and volume of Mindanao vegetable and fruit exports. Areas like La Paz town in Zamboanga City are suited to high value crops like carrots, lettuce, broccoli nd cabbage. The region also produces banana, mango, durian and lanzones.

Sarraga is confident the newly created council can help open new markets for Mindanao produce in Eastern Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei since these areas are closer to Mindanao than Manila. He says NorminVeggies is ready to help realize this potential.