The Ilocos Norte government is expanding its clustered farming program for watermelons to benefit more small farmers and encourage them to venture into high-value crops other than the traditional rice and corn.

“Since watermelon production is an immediate cash crop and has increased profit of our farmers, we are expanding our intervention to benefit more farmers,” engineer Teresa Bacnat, provincial agriculturist, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday.

From the 50-hectare watermelon clustered farm of the Zanjera Irrigators Association Inc., Bacnat said they are doubling the agricultural intervention support to watermelon farmers to over 100 hectares this time.

The clustered farming program not only guarantees agricultural production support but also marketing assistance to farmers, Bacnat said.

“Just after the harvest season (first and second week of May), our watermelon farmers are planting again in time for the next harvest after over a period of two months,” she added.

Bacnat said farmers are ecstatic of the latest significant boost in the farming sector, particularly in Bacarra town where clustered farmers of new watermelon varieties such as sugar de luxe, predator, sweet venus, and sugar baby, among others, recently earned a combined PHP9 million in net profit.

Before watermelons, the provincial government has already doubled the allocation for support to clustered farming program of key commodities such as garlic, native shallot, tomato, and mango.

By consulting farmers on their product preference including the varieties of key commodities that buyers prefer, Bacnat said more farmers are being enticed to participate in the clustered farming program. (PNA)