The ongoing upward trend of agri-tourism is boosting the strawberry industry in Benguet Province as better conditions create more opportunities for local farmers and enterprising residents.
Nida Organo, municipal agriculture officer of La Trinidad, the provincial capital, stated that data from the Registry System of Basic Services in Agriculture (RSBSA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) indicates there were 1,320 strawberry farmers last year compared to only 720 in 2023.
Production also slightly increased to 1,449 metric tons in 2024 compared to 1,188 in 2023.
"More people are engaging in strawberry production due to the promising economic prospects it presents," Organo said.
Strawberry growers can focus on traditional agriculture by selling fresh berries or venture into tourism-related activities such as strawberry picking or value-adding by processing fresh strawberries.
Organo expressed gratitude to the local government and Benguet State University, which owns most of the properties in the capital town, for reserving the "Swamp" or the "Strawberry Farm" for strawberry production. This ensures the sustainability of production and activities, maintaining the town's status as the top producer of strawberries in the country.
Consistent pricing
Clara Lucio, a saleswoman at a strawberry farm, said the selling price of strawberries remains high due to strong demand.
She noted that during the peak season, a kilo of fresh strawberries can sell for PHP400 to PHP600, and slightly decrease to PHP200 to PHP300 during the off-peak season.
"If you're lucky and manage to sell all your fresh strawberries without any wastage due to the number of days, you can definitely earn a good income. However, the berries are highly perishable, which causes the price drop, but we have buyers for the older ones, which are processed into jam, preserves, or even wine," she explained in Ilocano.
Lucio mentioned that during the peak tourism season from December to February and the summer months, the strawberry-picking experience is also a lucrative source of income.
"Those with gardens here are fortunate because a kilo of personally picked strawberries can sometimes skyrocket to PHP1,000," Lucio shared.
A domino effect
Valred Olsim, the tourism officer of La Trinidad, noted that the simple act of growing strawberries has evolved into the popular strawberry-picking experience, which has become a major tourist attraction.
"Our mass tourism is still centered at the Strawberry Farm," Olsim said in an exclusive interview.
He mentioned that the town receives around 700,000 to 800,000 tourists annually, especially during the fourth and first quarters of the year.
"Everyone wants to experience strawberry picking, and they are willing to pay the price to pick their choice of strawberries straight from the plants," Olsim said.
He explained that pickers pay a higher price per kilogram for the berries they pick compared to buying them at the stalls.
"The experience adds a premium, and it has become more popular with numerous social media posts of people picking strawberries themselves," he said.
Another industry that has emerged from strawberry production is processing the berries into wine, jam, preserves, vinegar, "taho," soap, facial and beauty products, and recently, dried strawberries.
"A lot of economic activities have stemmed from strawberry production, and we are glad it is happening. That is why we are preserving our identity as the top producer of strawberries by hosting the Strawberry Festival, where giant strawberry cakes are also featured," Olsim said.
Source: Philippines News Agency