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The Department of Agriculture IV-CALABARZON (DA-4A) through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) successfully conducted its Field Day cum Harvest Festival of the “Lowland Vegetable Derby” on July 14-16, 2021 at Quezon Agricultural Research and Experiment Station (QARES), Brgy. Lagalag, Tiaong, Quezon.

The derby aims to determine the best lowland vegetable varieties that can be subsidized and given to farmers by the regional office. It is participated by four seed companies, to wit, Allied Botanical, East-West, Kaneko, and Ramgo.

The DA-4A had allotted 2,000 sq m. of land area at QARES for each participating seed company wherein they established their respective technology demonstration showcasing their different lowland vegetable varieties.

Among the crops planted were eggplant (Hybrid F1 and Open Pollinated Variety OPV); tomato (F1 and OPV); pepper (F1 and OPV); bitter gourd (F1 and OPV); squash (F1 and OPV); pole sitao (OPV); and okra (OPV).

Farmers and city/municipal agriculture offices from all over the region participated in the 3-day activity and have witnessed for themselves the showcased vegetable varieties, its different crop agronomic characteristics and weight of fruits, to name a few.  # # # (DA-RFO IVA, RAFIS)