In the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has revealed that it is considering plans to help cement the future growth of high-value crops by promoting stronger links between fertiliser suppliers and farmers' groups, and providing growers with newer technology.
The move would, according to the DA, benefit banana and pineapple producers in the country, with improvements in training and an increase in the implementation of pest management strategies. For banana growers specifically the DA would provide virus-free plant materials to growers, according to inquirer.net.
To improve pineapple production, the DA said, nurseries would be established to plant new varieties, packhouses would be provided and technology transfer would be intensified.
Meanwhile, the fruit and vegetable processing plant at Benguet has been lauded as a key example of a model that complies with the government's cold chain project, the program aiming to improve economic returns for farmers through the improvement of post-harvest facilities.
The plant, which is located near the vegetable trading post in La Trinidad, can handle six tonnes of produce processing daily, according to sunstar.com, and is jointly operated by the local government and Dole-Philippines.
'This is a unique model and I can say this is a template of advancement, which is the result of Benguet's advanced thinking and planning,' said bureau of post-harvest research and extension executive director Ricardo Cachuela, quoting agriculture secretary Arthur Yap.
