MANILA, Philippines -- There are smart ways of creating a fund for some noble projects. Just like what a former ambassador had in mind when he thought of raising turkeys to raise some money for the education of his nephews and nieces.

The retired ambassador is Fortunato Oblena of Tayabas, Quezon. Last April he bought 40 female turkeys and 10 toms from Gil Quizon of Antipolo City. In just a few months, his stocks have grown to more than 200 birds of different ages. There are also hatching eggs in his incubator so that very soon, there will be more turkeys in his flock.

Now he said he is ready to sell some of his stocks. He plans to sell them through AANI which has a weekend market at the St. Vincent Seminary in Quezon City as well as at the FTI in Taguig City.

The good thing about turkeys is that the gestation period is short. One does not have to wait long for the birds to multiply and be available for sale.

Another fellow who used to raise turkeys for his Christmas income comes to mind. He used to be a pilot who raised turkeys in Antipolo for a niche market. He just produced 30 big turkeys a year which he himself made into roasted turkey ready for serving complete with a special cranberry sauce. His roasted turkeys were pre-sold to his fellow pilots and other executive friends at P3,500 each. Thus, he grossed more than a hundred thousand bucks every Christmas season from his little sideline.

Of course other farmers have their own way of raising money for the matriculation of their kids. One fellow fattens a few head of cattle which he sells just before enrollment time. Others raise a few pigs for the same purpose.

Agri-Kapihan Saturday — The first of two additional sessions of the Agri-Kapihan will be held Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the AANI Weekend Market at the St. Vincent Seminary on Tandang Sora, Quezon City. The next session will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the same venue. From now on, the Agri- Kapihan will be held every second and third Saturday of the month.

These two new Agri-Kapihan sessions are in addition to the one held every last Sunday of the month at the courtyard of radio station DWWW along E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd., Quezon City.

Rubber Production Seminar Sunday – Dr. Eugenio Alcala, rubber planter and former head of the Plantation Crops Division of the University of Southern Mindanao, will conduct a seminar on rubber production under Luzon conditions Sept. 11. This will be at the AANI at St. Vincent Seminary along Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

JAIN Irrigation at AGRILINK – India’s biggest drip irrigation company has booked for a big booth at the Agrilink 2011 which will be held on October 6 to 8 at the World Trade Center-Metro Manila. This is the Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. of Jalgaon, Maharashtra state.

JISL has been responsible for the widespread use of drip irrigation technology in India where some 5 million hectares are under the drip system today. Among the crops using the technology are cotton, banana, mango, pomegranate, sugarcane, various vegetables, melons and others.

The drip irrigation system offers a number of advantages. There is a big savings on water. The fertilizer could be applied through the drip system (fertigation) so that the nutrients are applied right where they are needed at the right amount. Drip fertigated bananas produce as much as 120 tons per hectare. They are also harvested about a month ahead of the non-fertigated plants. Cotton that are fertigated produce as much as four tons per hectare compared to the 400 kilos produced by the non-irrigated crop.

Harbest Agribusiness Corporation headed by Toto Barcelona is the Philippine distributor of Jain’s drip system. A showcase of fertigation will be established at the Harbest training center in Rosales, Pangasinan and in other places.

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