DA, URC sign pact to boost potato farming

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Universal Robina Corp. (URC) signed a five-year agreement on Monday to support potato farmers through the Sustainable Potato Program (SPP).

Under the program, URC will upgrade seed quality, train farmer organizations, and expand production areas in key regions like Bukidnon, Davao, and the Cordilleras.

Since its inception before the pandemic, the SPP has distributed around 506 metric tons of seeds, resulting in a gross income of PHP920 million for farmers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that URC will upscale the project by providing capacity building, training, and funding to increase potato production.

The DA plans to provide 2 million potato seeds to farmers, which could cover at least 12,000 hectares of commercial potato production after three generations.

DA regional offices and URC will collaborate in selecting farmer groups that can benefit from the SPP, with the Bureau of Plant Industry processing import permits for seed and conducting pest and disease surveillance.