Negros eyed as Visayas’ salad bowl

Northern Luzon need not be the only major source of greens in the country. An abundance of vegetables can be grown in the Visayas, particularly on the island of Negros, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The Agriculture Department is teaming up with local officials and farmers on Negros to transform its semi-temperate areas into vegetable gardens to serve the needs of cities in the Visayas.

The department would embark on an irrigation project for 1,500 hectares of farmland in the area in 2012, according to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Alcala cited the towns of Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental as particularly having vast potential to be turned into the vegetable salad bowl for the Visayas.

“There is a large potential for organic vegetable production in these areas, as well as for upland rice, coffee, cacao, tea, dairy, and for small ruminants,” Alcala said in a statement.

Don Salvador Benedicto is located in the mountainous northeastern section of Negros Island. It has a semi-temperate climate with temperatures ranging from 16 to 24 degfrees Centigrade. It has been called the “summer capital” of the island.

Farmers in the area have grown lettuce, cabbage, chayote, potatoes and tomatoes, which are commonly grown in Benguet in Northern Luzon.

A South Korean company has also established a vegetable farm in the area to serve Korean restaurants in the Visayas, according to Salvador Benedicto Mayor Laurence Dela Cruz.

Canlaon City is also located in the same region, on the eastern foot plain of Mt. Kanlaon and close to the northern boundary between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental provinces.

Alcala said that in Don Salvador Benedicto, the agriculture department would help farmers in the production of coffee, cacao and tea as well.

He also provided the town with two hand tractors, two threshers, five carabaos, two flatbed dryers, coffee and cacao seedlings./INQUIRER