Wednesday, August 17News That Matters
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Agriculture

Learn things about Philippine agriculture like planting crops, fruits, vegetables, and other valued crops.

Aug152022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Vermicomposting is a Profitable Business in the Philippines

Vermicomposting is a Profitable Business in the Philippines

Agriculture
The Philippines being a tropical country is not only rich in biodiversity, but also has lots of agricultural resources that can turn into profitable business ventures. One of these is vermiculture - the process of turning biodegradable wastes into high-quality organic fertilizer with the use of African Night Crawler (Eudrilus eugeniae). As of this writing, 1 sack or 50 kilos of vermicompost costs P800 to P1,000 depending on which part of the country you are in, and worms cost P1,000 to P1,200 per kilo. The African Nightcrawler Worm Eudrilus eugeniae, also called the "African Nightcrawler", is an earthworm species native to tropical west Africa and now widespread in warm regions under vermicompost. It is an excellent source of protein and has great pharmaceutical potential. The African...
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Aug142022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Planting Ginger in the Philippines is Highly Profitable

Planting Ginger in the Philippines is Highly Profitable

Agriculture
As of this writing, the current market price of ginger here in Tanauan City Public Market, Batangas, is P167/kg. There were a number of times that the prices reached up to P210/kg. Ginger farmers here in Batangas are making huge amounts of money. After all, ginger is one of the most important ingredients in Filipino dishes so whether it is P100 or P200 per kilogram, people would still buy it. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is popular to its distinct sharp and hot flavor due to an oily substance called gingerol. It is known as Luya in Tagalog. It has an aerial part of about 0.8 m high, which could grow up to 1.5 m tall (in Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Honduras), and a finger-like perennial underground part or rhizomes called hands. In 2006, the area planted with ginger in the Philippi...
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Aug132022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Aquaponics Philippines Guide: Fish and Vegetable Farming at Home

Aquaponics Philippines Guide: Fish and Vegetable Farming at Home

Agriculture, Fishery
Growing lettuce at home in aquaponics is a great alternative. Currently, the demands of modern life, as well as the consequent lack of time, often make it difficult to find fresh products in markets to place on our table. Hence, more and more people are interested in growing their own food at home. But how to do this, if we do not have land to grow our vegetables? That is why it is a viable option to combine the cultivation of vegetables in hydroponics using water from fish farming as a nutrient medium; So this system known as aquaponics does not require large spaces and can be done at home in patios, garages, roofs, and even balconies. Imagine, being able to grow your own lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers on your balcony! Of course, starting an aquaponic culture at home requires...
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Aug132022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
How the Sugar Industry Continues to Create Poverty in Negros

How the Sugar Industry Continues to Create Poverty in Negros

Agriculture, News & Opinion
The province of Negros Occidental is the 6th wealthiest province in terms of gross income in the country only behind Cebu, Batangas, Rizal, Davao de Oro, and Bukidnon. The island of Negros is known for its sugarcane production which accounts for 63% of the country's sugar output.  Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental and the largest city in Western Visayas, is a highly-urbanized city, and poverty is hardly seen due to skyscrapers and luxurious subdivisions.   One might think that the people in the province are living comfortably due to the "riches of sugarcane", but behind the sugar wealth, the island is also having many of the poorest populations.  In 2015, the national poverty incidence was 16.5% of families, while it was 38.7% in Negros Oriental and 21.9% in Negros Oc...
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Aug112022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Top 10 Food Crops in the Philippines

Top 10 Food Crops in the Philippines

Agriculture
The Philippines is both an agricultural and industrial country and rice is the most important  Filipino staple food. Every year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) are closely monitoring the rice production and supply in the country in order to meet the volume of demand needed by the Filipino people. Despite the country’s high palay production, the government is still importing rice from other Asian countries like Vietnam and Thailand, in order to maintain the needed yearly rice quantity. Aside from palay, the following are the top ten crops and agricultural products in the Philippines is known for. 1. Sugarcane With an average of 23 million metric tons of sugarcane production every year, the Philippines is the ninth biggest sugar producer i...
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Aug112022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Why Sugarcane is the Least Profitable Crop to Grow

Why Sugarcane is the Least Profitable Crop to Grow

Agriculture
As of this writing, the price of refined sugar in Metro Manila (retail) is P98/kg while the washed sugar is P80/kg. With this almost unaffordable price, many people would think that sugar farmers are making tons of money and perhaps, you are thinking of investing in sugarcane farming too - wait until you finish reading this article. Sugarcane is a major Philippine agricultural product and is second only to rice in the total area occupied around the country under food crops. It is harvested only once every year and the waiting time is quite long compared to other major crops like rice, corn, and vegetables. Although the country is producing millions of tons of sugarcane, still it is not self-sufficient. The cost of production is extremely high and instead, importing sugar is quite econom...
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Aug102022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Is Cashew (Kasoy) Farming a Profitable Business in the Philippines?

Is Cashew (Kasoy) Farming a Profitable Business in the Philippines?

Agriculture
Not known to many, cashew farming is a very profitable business in the Philippines, and in this article, I am going to explain why. Although cashew may not be considered a very important crop compared to corn, rice, sugarcane, coffee, soybean, peanut, potato, and others, it has its own niche and cashew farmers are actually enjoying better profit than those who are planting other major crops, especially the sugarcane. If you have a small piece of land and are interested in cashew farming either as a hobby or for profit, continue reading. Cashew, locally known as Kasoy, is a tropical tree that produces cashew nuts and cashew apples. It is a very popular street food and snack along with salted peanuts sold on provincial buses in the country. It is, however, an expensive snack for its se...
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Aug82022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
What is Miracle Fruit and Why it is Becoming Popular in the Philippines

What is Miracle Fruit and Why it is Becoming Popular in the Philippines

Agriculture
Just type “miracle fruit” in Google search and you will be presented with different types of extracts in water plastic bottles being sold online, claiming to cure many diseases and whatnot. Don’t buy until you read this article. If you are outside the Philippines like in Australia, Japan, North America, or Europe, when you search for “miracle fruit” on Google, you will get the real miracle fruit or the Synsepalum dulcificum. This miracle fruit or miracle berry is the real miracle fruit known around the world and is the subject of many types of research and studies ever since.  It is a shrub that grows 1.8–4.5 m (5.9–14.8 ft) in height and has dense foliage. Its leaves are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long, 2.0–3.7 cm (0.79–1.46 in) wide, and glabrous below. They are clustered at the ends of ...
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Aug82022 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
Can the Philippines Grow and Produce Wheat?

Can the Philippines Grow and Produce Wheat?

Agriculture
With the looming food crisis due to continuing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, many countries are already in dire need of wheat flour.  Before the war, Ukraine is the world's ninth-largest wheat producer and is forecasted to be the seventh-largest exporter for the 2022/23 marketing year. With millions of tons of wheat stranded in the country’s Black Sea ports, the world supply of wheat is highly affected. The Philippines is among the top five countries that are expected to comprise a quarter of the world’s wheat imports over the next 10 years as bread and feed consumption are both going up, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said. In 2020, Ukraine exported $172M of wheat to the Philippines. The main products that Ukraine exported to the ...
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Nov152021 by Arturo BrosasNo Comments
How to Grow Apple from Seeds

How to Grow Apple from Seeds

Agriculture
In this article, we will explain how to grow apple seeds so you can plant them after germination. The apple is one of the most consumed fruits in the world because of its sweet taste and the incredible benefits that you can obtain from eating apples have made this fruit an essential food for a rich and balanced diet. However, despite being one of the most commercial fruits that exist, it is one of the most difficult to grow, since making its seeds germinate requires very specific care and an exceptionally humid and cold environment. Do you want to have your own apple tree but are worried about not knowing how to germinate its seeds? Don't worry, at Agraryo we teach you how to germinate apple seeds correctly and how you should plant and cultivate them to enjoy this fruit wheneve...
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