Former OFWs find Dragon Fruit Production and Processing As a Profitable Venture

Written by Administrator on 14 September 2016

Agnes Asuncion

Brgy. Pias, Currimao, Ilocos Norte

 “Agri-entrepreneurship is more rewarding than working abroad”, says Agnes Asuncion, 56, of Brgy. Pias, Currimao, Ilocos Norte.  Away from family and love ones is very hard, she added.  Agnes is an OFW returnee in 2003.  Since then, she focused on growing and selling rice and vegetables.  In 2008, she learned about this new money making crop-dragon fruit.  Now, she is enjoying the benefits of dragon cactus and more importantly, adding value to the crop with her dragon cactus herbal soap and wine production.   

“There are so many trainings that I have already attended.  If participation to these trainings were paid, maybe, I was not able to attend.  Since I was given the opportunity to attend these trainings for free, I made sure that the opportunity given to me materialized.  I used the knowledge and skills I learned from the trainings for the benefit of my family”, says Ms. Agnes (“Naruay dagiti naat-atendarakon a training.  Ket no panunutek, no mabayadan dagitoy a training nga at-atendarak, nalabit diak makaatendar.  Ngem gapu ta inikkandak iti oportunidad a makaatendar kadagitoy a training, pinagbalinko daytoy nga oportunidad tapno agbalin nga isu iti pagsanggirak ken sarikedkedko a mangted iti agserbi iti pamiliak”).

Agnes first learned about dragon fruit in 2008 during the Farmers’ Congress sponsored by PhilRice Batac.  She learned the benefits from dragon fruit so she was encouraged to buy four cuttings of dragon cactus from Mrs. Edita Dacuycuy, the lady who pioneered dragon fruit production in Ilocos Norte.  

She planted the cuttings and was able to increase her production converting rice lands into dragon fruit plantation.  At present, she maintains 300 posts of dragon fruit.  Opportunities come from time to time.  A training on dragon cactus soap making was sponsored by OPAG and MMSU in 2010.  Again with her interest, she attended the training and now, she’s making money of her dragon fruit soap production.

In growing dragon fruit, she uses rice hull and decomposed animal dung.  This is why her fruits are very healthy.  To penetrate a larger market for her products, she attends trade fairs and exhibits.

To further improve her value-adding activities, Ms. Agnes Asuncion, through MMSU availed the DOST’s financial assistance amounting to P65,000.00.   This was used for the design and fabrication of a dragon soap mixer and the improvement of her dragon fruit soap packaging material.

Ms. Asuncion is now enjoying the fruit of her interest in dragon fruit soap processing.  She started with 25 dragon fruit soap per week, and now she’s producing 400 and even more every week.  MMSU assists her in the promotion and marketing of her products.  She sells her dragon fruit soap at 3 for P100 for the 50g and P60 for the 100g.  She produces soap in different variants such as citronela, mint, lavander, olive, and coconut. 

Recently, she attended a training on wine processing.  With what she learned and a little bit of an experiment, she had perfected her technique on dragon fruit wine making.  At present, she is producing dragon fruit wine.   More and more individuals were able to taste her wine and got interested in her product.

In addition to maintaining her farm, producing her dragon fruit soap and wine, Agnes also assists interested individuals in establishing their dragon fruit plantation.  Agnes provides the technical assistance and supervises the establishment of dragon fruit plantation.  All capital cost needed is provided by those individuals who go into dragon fruit farming.  In return, Agnes is responsible in selling their produce.  Corresponding commission is provided to her. 

With the growing opportunities of dragon fruit production and processing, Agnes encourages dragon fruit enthusiasts to go into this venture.  She said that if there are trainings conducted, individuals should go and learn for themselves the different techniques in farming and other livelihood ventures.  This is one of the best ways that one will be able to improve their knowledge and ideas to uplift their way of living. 

Purisima Torralba

Brgy. Caraitan, Badoc, Ilocos Norte

The strongest factor for success is self-esteem: believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, and believing you will get it, says Mrs. Purisima M. Torralba of Brgy. Caraitan, Badoc, Ilocos Norte.

Like any other individual, Mrs. Torralba or Puring for short had many experiences, both ups and downs.  But all these serve as her inspiration and challenge to start a new venture for her family, friends and relatives including the community where she lives.  As she says creating more, innovating more and exploring more. In 2008, she started planting a variety of money-making crops such as dragon fruit, mango, coconut, atis, guyabano, papaya, kalamansi and many more. And now, she’s enjoying the benefits of growing dragon fruit, not only because of the health benefits but also the increase income that this crop can provide to her family.

She first learned about dragon fruit when she was a care-giver in the U.S.  The fruit had been used as cleansing agent for her patients.  When she came home from abroad for good, she decided to grow the crop.  She said she made the right decision, as she started to enjoy the fruit of her labor.  She started with 10 posts and now,  maintaines 500 posts.  She bought her cuttings from Mrs. Raneses in Badoc, Ilocos Norte at P150 per post.  The other cuttings were purchased from Mrs. Dacuycuy.  As one who is new in the business, she sought the assistance of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte through the Provincial Agriculture Office (OPAG) in the establishment and maintenance of the crop.  She modified the technology that she learned by using concrete posts instead of wooden posts.  She observed that concrete posts are more durable than wooden especially during rainy season.  She added that with the use of wooden posts, dragon fruit are prone to the attack of insects.  She also applies 0-0-60 to make the fruits sweeter and reddish. 

Innovative as she is, she explored other opportunities that the crop can give her.  Again, she tried asking the assistance of OPAG for a training on soap making.  That time, OPAG and MMSU conducted a training on soap making for the Kailokuan Saniata Cooperative (KASACOOP) members, the cooperative that was organized by MS Dacuycuy with the help of development agencies like PGIN, OPAG, and MMSU.  With her training on soap making, she is now producing her Organic Herbal Dragon soap which is sold at the Hidden Garden in Ilocos Sur.  She delivers 300-400 pieces of dragon fruit soap a week.  She added variants to her soap products such as carrots, papaya, and tomato.  She devotes four days a week to prepare dragon cactus soap.  In one preparation, 66 dragon cactus soap is produced sold at P35 per piece. She makes at least 2 to 3 preparations a day. In any business, one has to be dedicated and has a luxury time to do it.  Otherwise, the business will not prosper, she said. 

To give more value to the crop, she also produced ice cream and shake.  She said that she is not just making money for her and her family but also for other people in the community. Being married to a public servant, she added that she is also oblige to help their community.  

 

In her dragon fruit production, she practice bagging during fruit formation to ensure that fruit flies will not destroy the fruits.  She makes sure that proper ventilation is provided for proper fruit development.

Puring reiterated that to succeed, one must be very patient and knows how to deal with people.  There should also be unity and cooperation between and among the community members, including the members of the KASACOOP.  She said that in as much as the KASACOOP was organized to benefit the dragon fruit growers, the cooperative should see to it that all the harvested produce of the members will be sold in the market.

With the growing demand of the crop, Puring plans to expand her plantation and concentrate on soap making.  She also advised that dragon fruit growers not to focus on one crop but grow other crops so that if dragon fruit is not in season, there will be other sources of income for the family.  Likewise, she said that dragon fruit can be included in the priority commodity of the Region. 

Asked how MMSU could help, Puring said that the University and other agencies could conduct or provide more trainings and assistance to the communities to improve the industry.  In addition, growers must specialize in one product so that not all will be producing the same product. Otherwise, market be the problem.

Other Latest News
more news