Each potato harvest can help farming families earn a living and prepare for the next planting season. In Benguet, Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Sustainable Potato Program supports this cycle by providing growers with quality seed potatoes, technical training, and market opportunities.
This year, URC distributed 54 metric tons of Granola seed potatoes to 216 members of the United Potato Producers of Benguet and Mountain Province, Inc. on April 25. Planted in early May, the crop was fully harvested by late August. Sales from the harvest will help support the farmers and their families, while a portion of the crop will be saved as seed for the next planting season.
Alongside Granola, seven other varieties were grown on trial plots to explore more productive options: Hilite Russet, Russet Burbank, Eva, Mystere, Kennebec, Red Norland, and Satina. The trials form part of the program’s work to help farmers improve productivity and develop a sustainable supply of planting materials.
URC President and CEO Irwin Lee credited the program’s progress to the farmers and the partnerships supporting them.
“These achievements belong to every farmer whose dedication and stewardship have transformed every harvest into a better future for their families and communities,” Lee said.
Supporting Successive Harvests
Access to quality seed potatoes addresses a longstanding challenge for growers. Imported planting materials can be costly, leaving farmers reliant on repeatedly replanting tubers from their own harvests. Over repeated generations, these can become less productive, making access to fresh, quality planting materials important.
Established through a partnership between URC and the Department of Agriculture in 2018, the Sustainable Potato Program helps farmers improve their practices through training in areas such as seed multiplication, pest and disease management, and postharvest handling.
Since the program started, URC has provided more than 600 metric tons of seed potatoes, worth over P40 million, to more than 1,000 farmers across the Cordillera Administrative Region, Bukidnon, and Davao.
URC estimates that these planting materials have produced about 34,000 metric tons of potatoes with a farm-gate value of approximately P1.36 billion. According to the company, participating farmers have earned an average annual income of about P300,000.
Support also includes a greenhouse donated by the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), in partnership with Kerry Group Philippines Foundation, for propagating potato seedlings.
Opening Opportunities for Farming Families
The support for farmers extends to their children’s education. Since 2022, GBF has funded scholarships for 18 children of farmers participating in the potato program, most of whom attend Benguet State University.
Eight scholars have graduated, including two who finished cum laude. Six more are expected to graduate this academic year, while the remaining scholars are working toward completing their studies in 2028 and 2029.
These gains in farming and education give URC and its partners something meaningful to build on as the company continues to observe its 70th anniversary. According to Lee, the company plans to expand access to quality agricultural inputs, technical training, and market opportunities, giving growers more of the tools they need to turn their hard work into lasting livelihoods.
“Together, we will continue building stronger farming communities of the future,” he said.
For more information on URC, visit urc.com.ph
