agriculture business : crops, aquaculture, livestock, poultry, entrepreneurs, and agrithing…
The size of the fruits attracted us to take some photos and interview the farmers who said the variety they used could yield 13 to 30 tons a hectare. That’s great! Given the current farm gate price of P3.50 a kilo, the farmers get a gross income of P45,500 to P105,500 per hectare.
Northern Mindanao, particularly Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, is where growing squash, particularly the Suprema variety, has developed into a year-round big business for farmers, traders and seed suppliers. Both small-scale and big growers are into growing this variety.
What could be the reason? Well, the farmers have discovered one variety that is preferred by consumers. This is the Suprema which was the first hybrid squash developed in the Philippines and released in 1987. Many other varieties have been introduced since then but it seems nothing can beat Suprema. It reigns supreme to this day.
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Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental might as well be called the country’s squash capital. From these two provinces, hundreds of tons of squash fruits, particularly the Suprema variety, are shipped to Metro Manila every week. Big quantities are likewise sent to Cebu City, Bacolod, Samar and even to other places in Mindanao.
She finished a chemistry course in college then taught in high school for two years. Since she was the eldest child in the family, she felt obliged to support her siblings’ studies so she decided to work as domestic helper in Hong Kong where she earned a hiher pay than from teaching. For six years she first served a Chinese family and then an Australian. These were the first two jobs of Rebecca Tubongbanua of San Isidro, Buenavista, Guimaras.
People used to enjoy squash or kalabasa as a vegetable prepared in various ways. Few years ago, food technologisis and creative entrepreneurs made it into catsup and then recently, into noodle, vinegar polvoron and pastillas. Now, imagine eating your favorite pan de sal or even the common buns and loaf bread with squash as one of the ingredients.
Yes, squash can be used for bakery products. Seeing these as good vehicles for nutrient enhancement, experts from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have developed vitamin A enriched breads with squash to help address vitamin A related malnutrition affecting millions of Filipinos in the country.
