Backyard Kangkong Growers of Cebu:

The Backyard Kangkong Growers of Cebu
The kangkong we used to know which is grown in swampy areas is now on its way out. Taking over is the upland kangkong which is also known as Chinese kangkong. Instead of being cultured in water, it is grown in garden plots.

The change is for a number of good reasons. Kangkong grown in garden plots without water is produced under more hygienic conditions. That is why an increasing number of consumers prefer to buy upland kangkong. Kangkong is known to absorb pollution so when it is grown in unsanitary conditions, it is not safe for consumers.

Fortunately, seeds of upland kangkong are readily available in the country today, thanks to commercial seed distributors who import seeds from Thailand, Taiwan and other sources. One seed company, the East-West Seed Company, for instance, has been selling about 15 tons of kangkong seeds in one year in the Philippines, and still increasing. The seeds are sourced from its sister company in Thailand which has developed a superior variety that is now preferred by growers and consumers, especially in Cebu.

Incidentally, Cebu has become a major producer of upland kangkong. Out of the 15 tons of seeds that East-West Seed Company sold last year, seven tons were sold in Cebu. There are really no large scale growers of upland kangkong in Cebu. Instead, there are many small-scale backyard growers in the city as well as in surrounding towns.

In Brgy. Yate in Liloan, for instance, more than 20 households are planting as small as 24 square meters to over a 300 square meters. Similar plantings are also found in other towns like Toledo, Consolacion and others.

The fellow who has about the smallest growing area in Yate is Jonathan Pitogo, a construction worker who plants kangkong as a sideline. He grows his crop on a staggered basis on four plots each measuring six square meters. He harvests 50 kilos a week which he sells at R20 per kilo or R1,000.

There are of course growers who are planting bigger areas. Like a grower in Brgy. Tayud also in Liloan who grosses about R8,000 a week, according to Helen Palomas who buys his production. Helen is a stallholder at the Carbon market in Cebu City who sells an average of 300 kilos of upland kangkong each night.

Helen’s husband, Allan, could be said to have spurred upland kangkong planting in Liloan. Allan used to be employed in a biscuit factory as operator of the wrapping machine. In 1995, he planted a small area near their home and from that small planting, he was able to make a net profit of R2,000. That prompted him to give up his employment to devote his time to growing and trading in kangkong. After all, his wife has a stall at the Carbon market as sure outlet for whatever he grows and buys from other planters.

He also encouraged his neighbors to grow kangkong, telling them that he and his wife would buy all their production. Today, there are at least 15 growers who are regularly supplying the Palomas with their harvests. There are also times when demand is more than what the Liloan growers can supply. In such cases, the Palomas buy from other growers in Toledo or some other places. Usually, kangkong sells at the Carbon market at R25 to R35 per kilo.

The growers prefer upland kangkong over other vegetables for a number of good reasons. They say that kangkong can be harvested as early as 18 days from planting the seeds. Most, however, harvest their plants at 25 days from planting. Kangkong does not require expensive inputs. Plastic mulch which is used for tomatoes, eggplant and other high-value crops is not needed in growing kangkong. No trellises are needed. There is also no need for a greenhouse as kangkong likes full sun.

Another good reason is that it does not need a big capital to plant upland kangkong. Expenses usually consist of the seeds for planting, animal manure to enrich the plots and small amounts of urea applied every few days during watering.

The seeds cost R250 per kilo. And with one kilo, one can produce 300 kilos of harvest which is sold ex-farm at R20 per kilo. That’s R6,000 worth of upland kangkong from R250 worth of seeds. No wonder, the home gardeners of Liloan and other towns in Cebu love to grow upland kangkong. It has now become a small-scale industry benefiting a good number of households