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MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines began exporting okra (gumbo or women’s fingers) to Japan in what the Department of Agriculture described as a “significant advance” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Jeffrey Fernandez and Rap Pelayo of Jelfarm Fresh Produce Enterprise led the initial shipment of two tons of okra Tuesday at the Pair-bags Center in Pasay City.
“This is an indication that despite Covid-19, we are improving the game. I like this exporting okra to Japan, this is a significant advance, “said Dar in a statement posted on the DA’s official website.
JelFarm will ship around five tons of okra a day to Japan when the harvest season begins and will increase to 13-15 tons a day once the peak season begins.
Around 300 farmers from 14 barangays in Tarlac will supply the vegetables suitable for export.
The cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya will be the main markets for Philippine okra with the shipments of vegetables in compliance with Good Agricultural Practices.
“We acknowledge Jelfarm’s efforts to increase okra exports to Japan. Japan is a key market for our products and they like to eat okra as part of their diet, ”said Dar. “It’s a win-win arrangement because the farmers who grow them get higher levels of income compared to rice.”
Fernández, whose parents established the company in 2010, said his father was seeking an alternative livelihood for Tarlac farmers who suffered from unstable palay prices throughout the year and viewed okra as a marketable product.
“You can start harvesting okra within 55 to 65 days after planting and you can harvest it every day for 75 days in a row,” Fernandez said. “It is a fast-yielding crop, a high-yielding crop and a good source of income for farmers.”
Okra growers can harvest 500 kilograms to one tonne of okra per hectare for 75 days in a row and earn a net income of 80,000 to 120,000 pula.
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