Philippines: Could new potato varieties boost international trade?
Governor Nestor Fongwan said the four new varieties from Canada: Cherokee, Sifra, Calwhite and Canestoga, can pass the requirements for Liwayway Marketing Corporation as well as Jollibee and McDonalds to catapult the lowly crop into the international scene and make Benguet’s mark in the international food supply chain.
Today, more samples are being prepared for Liwayway composed of potatoes grown in less humid areas where water content would be lower. Months ago the onset of the rainy season may have contributed to the high water content of the produce, making the crop not viable for orders.
In an effort of drumbeat the economic alliance with Asian nations, the Adivay is themed “On Asean Integration: Benguet faces its challenges and grasps the opportunities,” calling on all towns to pitch into the global bandwagon and push production standards to become world-class.
In support for the province, national line agencies led by the Department of Agriculture has led the creation of the P400-million Agri-Pinoy Center at the strawberry field’s area to help facilitate the sale and display of products to a wider market.
When the centre is completed a modern wholesale trading and processing facility for vegetables and fruits—dubbed as Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (APTC) on the four-hectare lot at the berry farm will be the first of kind in the country.
Today, Benguet can supply 65 percent of the needs of the nation and is currently releasing a minimum of 1 million kilos a day to various wet markets in the country, but as the province is riddled with issues on packaging, sorting and facilities to store vegetables, hinges its hopes on the completion of the Agri Pinoy Center set on the first quarter of 2015.
Source: sunstar.com.ph
