GREENHOUSES worth a total of P1 million have been provided by the Department of Agriculture Cordillera office (DA-CAR) to Baguio-based strawberry growers in a bid to boost production of the berry in the region.
The four greenhouses, worth P250,000 each, were provided to the San Andreas Strawberry Growers Association (SASGA) of Bilis, Sto. Tomas Central by the DA-CAR as part of its ongoing high-value crop development program (HVCDP).
The project is aimed at increasing production of strawberry runners in the region. Another 12 greenhouses, for a total of 16, are intended to be put in the province to bolster strawberry cultivation efforts.
In addition to the greenhouses, the DA-CAR has provided 500 clean tissue-cultured strawberry plants for reproduction from the Benguet State University.
The DA-CAR also distributed fertilizers, water pumps and gave training to the SASGA members to ensure proper cultivation of the crops.
Sammy Lang-ay, SASGA president, says that the runners will be propagated for distribution to Benguet and Mt. Province strawberry growers, with a portion of the profit to be used as funding for the association itself.
Each greenhouse is projected to house and propagate some 30,000 strawberry runners.
