Organic farming deemed an advocacy than business

CEBU, Philippines - Despite Cebu being behind in the information and promotion of the benefits of organic products, a native of Bacolod pursued her goal of putting up an organic farm in Cebu and help in the larger distribution all throughout the province.

Abigail Salvador of Tabon Ecological Farm (Tabefa) found in Tabon, Dalaguete is a recent supplier of organic products in supermarkets and restaurants in Cebu but she said that it was not an easy business to venture into since not a lot of people knew about organic products. Also, farmers are still hesitant to shift to organic farming since it takes time for the products to grow without chemicals that are usually used.

According to her, she was interested first in organic beauty products like soaps and wanted to make her own but had no knowledge of how to make it and where to get the ingredients from.

That prompted her to visit Mantalungon, a town south of Cebu, around two years ago where she met up with a pastor that has a land in the area and where she was able to meet some farmers who had no choice but not to use chemicals anymore since they had encountered diseases already.

She shared that she wanted to help out the farmers and thought of organic farming though she had no idea about it but made researches on what to do and how much it would cost to start up an organic farm.

Salvador said that after which, she agreed to finance and buy the seeds from Manila and abroad and also pay for the labor of the farmers for 50 thousand pesos only.

“Dun nagsimula lahat,” said Salvador who at present produces up to 60 kilos of organic products to known restaurants like Gustavian and La Tegola and started producing the supermarket of Gaisano Country Mall.

She said that she has also contacted other huge supermarkets and restaurants in the city hoping to achieve her goal in helping promote to more people the benefits of shifting to organic products.

Salvador said that she sees this as part of an advocacy and not as a business since she said that it is more important to spread awareness first to the people. She stressed that Cebu has been playing poorly in terms of organic products but she aims to help in the efforts of the provincial government in promoting the organic agriculture.

She said that she commended the efforts of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia in promoting organic farming where small producers like her have benefited from.  

But she said that lately, people are already becoming curious of the products and have been noted in the increase in demand of her products compared to the past year.

She said that the target market for organic products are usually the class A market since it is expensive but she is hoping that this would also be supported by the other classes since the benefits it does to the body should be considered better than the price.

Salvador is also optimistic of the growth of demand of her products, which she said have had the thumbs up of Gil Carandang, president of Organic Inspectors Association of the Philippines and owner of Herbana Farmers Philippines, whom she asked advice from when she started the business.

Aside from the organic vegetables that she supplies like lettuce, cucumber and tomato, she also produces organic made beauty products and has her partner, Grace Ruperto, that supplies organic meat. 

Salvador also has a store called “All Organics” in Banilad Town Center, where she will also be having a small farmers market every Saturday and one in Parkmall named “Back to the Garden.” —AJ de la Torre