SAGADA, Mountain Province (PIA) — Strawberry farm owners in this town are encouraging other farmers to grow strawberries to increase production in the area.
In the Department of Agriculture -CAR AgriSerbisyo Program in a local radio station, couple Pedro Lambay and Willa Lambay who own the Baybayan Strawberry Farm in Dagdag, Sagada, assured that they are ready to assist their co-farmers who are willing to produce strawberries.
Willa said that they can provide a maximum of ten strawberry planting materials. Whoever will avail will be taught how to produce and tend more runners, she added.
The Lambay couple stressed the importance of patience, which according to them is the key for the successful production of strawberries.
“Haan a nalaka ti strawberry production ngem nu adda latta ti anus mo, kasla ti panangay-ayo mi, strawberry is a high yielding fruit and adda ti presyo na iti market all the time,” said Willa.
“Ti biggest secret ti strawberry production is dapat adda iti TLC, Tender Loving Care,” she shared.
The Lambays have been in strawberry production for 25 years. They started from planting a small portion of their farm until they went full time into the venture in the last five years. They have faced many challenges in the production of strawberries but with due patience, they were able to overcome these.
They have tried to plant different strawberry varieties until they found out about the Japanese Shoga variety which according to them, is suitable to the climate of Sagada. It can last for at least three days and is ideal for deliveries to distant areas.
She added that the School-On-the-Air program of the DA has been a great help to them in learning about strawberry production.
They are now supplying strawberries in Manila and Antipolo.
“Ti strawberries awan ti masayang. Nu haan mo nga mai-market ti strawberrym, mabalin a lutoem iti jams, ma-preserve nga ilakon to. Ti strawberry, awan ti punto nga ibagam a bagsak though nagad-adu ti trials, nagad-adu ti dilemma iti panag-produce iti strawberry,” Willa said. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
