LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Potato farmers in the province are expected to boost production with the rollout of “clean” planting materials developed through the research of Benguet State University (BSU). Grace Backian, director of the Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training Center, said clean seedlings have now reached farmers and are proven to significantly improve yields. Studies show that farms using farm-saved seeds average 16 tons per hectare, while clean seedlings can yield up to 36 tons per hectare. “Ngayon nakarating sa farmers, we like to increase the availability of clean planting materials to also improve the yield which has been proven to increase based on studies (It can now reach the farmers),” she said in an interview on Friday. Previously, only 14 percent of potato planting materials were classified as clean, forcing farmers to queue at BSU’s research center for limited supplies. Through a two-year project funded by the Gokongwei Group and supported technically by BSU in partnership with farmer organizations, access to quality seedlings is being expanded. “The problem has always been the lack of certified seeds,” Backian said. “Most farmers rely on farm-saved seeds that are not checked or certified by the Bureau of Plant Industry.” The Gokongwei Group has committed to establishing three greenhouse nurseries in Benguet: one in Mankayan, which was inaugurated on Sept. 17, and two more under construction in Buguias and Kabayan. These facilities will provide high-yielding and market-preferred potato varieties such as Granola and BSU’s Igorota. “With the completion of these nurseries, clean seedlings will become more accessible to potato-producing farmers,” Backian said. The Buguias nursery is already serving about 1,000 farmers, with more households expected to benefit in the coming months. She assured that oversupply is unlikely, as the demand for potatoes remains high. The Gokongwei Group, which imports potatoes for its food products, has also committed to purchasing farmers’ produce at prevailing market prices under a tripartite agreement with BSU and farmer organizations. “This partnership ensures not just access to clean seedlings, but also a ready market for farmers,” Backian added. RTVM SCREENGRAB