THE GENERAL’S PROLIFIC LONGKONG TREE — Photo shows a very prolific longkong tree at the family farm resort of Gen. Recaredo Sarmiento II, former chief of the Philippine National Police.

Next week, December 12 to be exact, the country’s leading seed firm, the East-West Seed Company, will be observing its 30th anniversary. As a fitting gesture, it will give special recognition to 30 outstanding “Farmer Heroes” who have prospered, thanks to the improved technologies developed by the company.

Many of the honorees include farmers of very humble beginnings but who have lifted themselves from poverty to a life of abundance. Others are former OFWs who discovered that there are better opportunities right here in the country than in foreign soil.

One example is Onofre Tudayan of Culliong, Salcedo, Ilocos Sur. Onofre, 52, is a criminology graduate who used to be an OFW. In 2010, while vacationing in his hometown, he attended a field demonstration on vegetable production by an East-West technician. There and then, he saw the potential of growing vegetables and didn’t want to go abroad anymore. He is now a vegetable farmer. Although he is planting vegetables on just one hectare, he is making goodmoney. The Galaxy ampalaya that he planted on 4,500 square meters earlier this year made him P210,000 richer. He has been planting other vegetables year-round and is also getting additional income from his rice mill.

Another honoree is Jose Madriaga of Tay-ac, Bantay, Ilocos Sur. He is a farmer with very small landholding. Earlier this year, he grossed P1 million from two hectares that he planted to three onion varieties, namely:Red Pinoy, Super Pinoy and Batanes Jumbo.

William Banay, 38, of San Placido, Roxas, Isabela should inspire others who are suffering from financial problems. William used to be a tailor and welder but the income was not enough for his family’s needs. So he tried growing vegetables in 2005 and has remained as such to this day. Vegetable farming has provided financial security to his family.

One of his favorite crops during summer is pechay. Although the weather is hot in Isabela, he can grow a lot of pechay because his farm is near an irrigation system. Earlier this year, he planted one hectare to pechay and in just about one month he got an income of P300,000 from one cropping. He also panted half hectare to Diamante tomato which gave him P200,000,and Galaxy ampalaya on 2,000 square meters that gave him P70,000.

William was the National Gawad Saka awardee in 2009 in the outstanding vegetable farmer category.

Another inspiring story is that of Reynaldo C. Hilario of Caaniplahan, Talavera, Nueva Ecija. An early retiree from the National Power Corporation, he mastered improved production techniques and got bountiful harvests. In his first cropping of Red Pinoy onion on two hectares, he was able to produce 13 tons which he sold for P280,000. On a half hectare planted to ampalaya, he was able to gross P270,000.

Earlier this year, his 1.2 hectares of Red Pinoy-Nueventa yielded 16.5 tons which earned him P420,000. His sitao on 3,000 sq.m. made him richer by P100,000.

Ricardo Ronquillo, 49, is another farmer hero awardee from Brgy. Campos, Talavera, Nueva Ecija. Since 1986, his family has been entirely depending on vegetable farming as source of livelihood.

When he started planting vegetables, he grew open-pollinated (OP) eggplant on 2,500 sq.m. and got 3 tons in 8 months of harvesting. This gave him P40,000. Later in the same year, he planted Casino, a hybrid from East-West, on 3,000 sq.m. In just six months of harvesting, he was able to harvest 8 tons, which he sold for P160,000.

Ricardo is one of the first to adopt the technique of planting grafted ampalaya, which is currently being promoted by East-West. This technique prolongs the productive life of ampalaya by an extra 10 harvests.

 Rolando Trinidad, 42, of Sto. Niño, Gapan City is a small-time farmer who reached only elementary grades. Thanks to vegetable farming, he has tremendously improved the economic status of his family. Although he is only cultivating two hectares, the improved techniques that he has adopted have yielded bumper crops for him. Earlier this year, for instance, he got 128 tons of tomatoes and eggplant from his farm. This made him richer by P720,000. He has also been helping his neighbors in growing their own vegetables.

Then there is Nestor Kalaw of Plaridel, Lipa City who is really a big time grower although most of the farms he cultivates are rented.

Nestor, 47, is a marine engineer who opted to be a vegetable farmer, although he started his career as a tricycle driver.

Today, Nestor plants vegetables on 8 hectares of his own and 16 hectares under the financing of partners. He keeps himself abreast of the latest improved technologies and attends training and seminars given by seed companies. He is a big user of East-West’s farm-ready-seedlings.

Vegetables have made Nestor a multimillionaire many times over. In 2012 alone, the 3 hectares he planted to Django pepper earned him P6.7 million as he was able to sell most of his harvest at P250 per kilo. His Galactica ampalaya has also netted him 3.9 million and his 6 hectares of D’Max tomatoes made him richer by P4.2 million.