IN THE January 2017 issue of Agriculture Monthly magazine, researcher Rodel Maghirang reported that Roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa L., a widely traded plant internationally for its versatile and nutrition-packed flowers and leaves, is being exported mainly to Germany and US with 15,000 tons per year and is said to have grown steadily.
However, Maghirang noted that Roselle has “very little published information in the Philippines” about its cultivation or its production levels although several processed products of its dried calyces are available in the local markets.
One of the processors Maghirang referred to could be Maria Theresa G. Arandilla, a former worker in a non-government organization (NGO) that focuses on helping farmers and an organic farming advocate.
Arandilla has been reaping the nutritional and economic benefits of Roselle when she successfully grew the seeds that she got from Thailand during one of its study exchanges along with women farmers.
“September, October up to March ang iyang ting bulak pero anytime nimo itanom. Natun-an nako, abi nako dili siya dako og flower diri sa Davao. Dagko kaayo siya dinhi pero mas dagko sa Samal (It blooms from September to March. I also discovered that it produces big flowers here, but its flowers are bigger in Samal),” she shared.
“Pag ting-ulan na, magbulak siya pero di magcontinue og buo kay mahulog siya sa ulan. Pero sa six months, continuous pud ang imong harvest (The Roselle cannot sustain flowering during the rainy season but on in six months, the harvest is continuous).” she said.
Arandilla developed the confidence in the potential of Roselle and started introducing it to the then cold Davao market in 2016.
“Naglisod kog promote kay syempre dili siya ilado sa market so nag pa free taste ko. Nag invest ko sa promotion. Wala ko derecho nga maka ginansya. Ginaeducate pa nako sila unsay benefit, lasa hangtod murag na love na nila ang Roselle (I had a hard time promoting it because it is not yet known so I offered free tastes. I was educating people about its benefits until they eventually loved Roselle),” she said.
When the fresh flowers gradually gained market, she was able to diversify its products to dried ones which can be made into teas, juices, wines, candies, and jams under the Abundant Harvest brand. She learned to produce wine through training provided by the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Trade and Industry during the 1990s when she was still part of the NGO who facilitated the project.
She further grew her business after she availed assistance from the government agencies like the City Government, City Agriculture Office (CAO), and DTI.
Despite selling it only at the Farmers’ Market in Rizal Park every Thursday and Friday along with other members of the Association of Davao Organic Advocates (Adoa), at Damosa Market Basket, and some organic restaurants in Davao and Samal, she has been enjoying a positive reception from the public in all types of Roselle products.
She said fresh Roselle flowers can be sold at P200 to P300 per kilogram. For wines, she said she can produce an average of three to five boxes of 12 per month based on the demand of her regular customers.
She said she can still produce as much as 10 boxes in a month, but she sometimes refuses to do it for lack of manpower. She is also working on her certification from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She needs the FDA certification to be able to reach more markets.
Aside from Roselle, she also buys the unsold fruits like guyabano from her fellow farmers in the Farmers’ Market after the market days or flowers like Blue Ternate and turn them into wines. She also sources fruit wines from small farmers in places like Misamis Oriental
Arandilla, who was also once a domestic helper abroad and whose husband is a seaman, also wants her success in the Roselle business to be a message of empowerment to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“Naencourage nako ang uban OFWs nga naa diay option sa Pilipinas. Pwede diay tang dili mag abroad, pwede diay tang mabuhi diri, makaincome ra diay. Dili necessary nga muabroad ang option para muincome (I was able to show to OFWs that they can sustain their families’ needs aside from working abroad),” said Arandilla, who is also a member of Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions, Inc. (MMCEAI).
She also wants farmers to value-add their products so they can set higher prices for their produce.
“Wala ko nagstop nga mag tanom lang. Nagprocess ko. Gimaintain nako na nga product. Maskin muhinay pa na siya, mag add lang kog product hangtod mudaghan ang variety sa akong product (I just continued planting and processing. If the demand for a certain product slow down, I will just add another variety),” she said.
“Sa businesses nga gagmay, naay time nga lugi, ayawg undang. Padayon lang (Just continue to sell even in times of slow demand or short of income),” Arandilla added.