La Trindad pushes farm tourism

LA TRINIDAD. Tourism students pick fresh strawberries at Benguet State University’s agricultural land in La Trinidad, Benguet. La Trinidad is eyeing to develop a stronger farm tourism program. (SSB photo)
LA TRINIDAD. Tourism students pick fresh strawberries at Benguet State University’s agricultural land in La Trinidad, Benguet. La Trinidad is eyeing to develop a stronger farm tourism program. (SSB photo)

BENGUET’S capital town of La Trinidad remains a top benchmark for agricultural learning sites.

Municipal tourism officer Valred Olsim said the town serves as learning site for non-government organizations, institutions and local government units as majority of the seven agricultural learning sites in the Cordillera are located in La Trinidad.

The town has been tagged as the strawberry capital of the country. It promotes organic agriculture and is a center for highland temperate vegetable trading.

Just recently, the Benguet Provincial Board gave favorable review to the Farm Tourism Ordinance of the Valley.

Proponent and committee on tourism chairman Councilor Roderick Awingan said plans, programs, projects and activities are being laid out related to farm tourism in the valley.

With La Trinidad paving the way for farm tourism, the valley’s strawberry farm remains the top tourist spot in the valley which benefits 250 establishments, 660 farmers, 114 strawberry by-products producers, and 150 ice cream vendors.

La Trinidad’s economy is dependent on the strawberry farming industry which generates more than P100 million from its products such as strawberry jam and activities such as strawberry picking, among others.

La Trinidad was recently ranked fourth in the economic dynamism category of competitiveness among first to second-class municipalities.

To incorporate farm tourism in the valley, Jefferson Laruan’s farm will serve as a demo farm that will cater to different organic products and livestock in Sitio Ampasit, Wangal in La Trinidad.

Laruan is a fourth generation farmer who has been into organic farming for 13 years and was certified in 2017. He is one of the 22 listed organic farming learning sites in the region.

Laruan and wife Elisa manage their demo-farm and train farmers in organic farming.

In nearby Barangay Beckel, the Cosmic Farm owned by Rogel Marsan described as an epitome of organic agriculture since 1989 will also be included.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph