IN THE KNOW: ‘Lily of the Incas’

Among the largest produce of Atok, alstroemeria, also called the “Lily of the Incas,” is grown in 33.6 of the town’s 75.7 hectares of cut flower farms.

At the onset of the cut flower industry, King Louis Flowers had the monopoly as it could import the seeds, said flower producer Apolinario Celo.

But when the flower company disposed of its old plants, locals salvaged some of the discards and propagated these. “As with other foreign plants, we sourced them from other farmers who got them somewhere,” Celo said.

By mid-2010, the cut flower business became a multimillion-peso industry in the villages of Abiang, Cattubo, Paoay, Pasdong, Poblacion and Topdac.

Based on 2016 and 2017 data, Atok has been producing an average of 70,000 dozens of carnation. A dozen sells for P150 during ordinary days and for P200 during peak season in Manila.

Farmers have also adapted to using crates and Styrofoam boxes to preserve shelf life of the flowers, which are transported in big trucks straight to Manila, no longer by buses. —Karlston Lapniten