Benguet Potato Farmers Reap Gains From URC’s Sustainable Farming Program

Potato farmers across the vegetable-growing highlands of Benguet are beginning to harvest crops planted just a few months ago, but this year’s yield brings something new.

Alongside the familiar Granola potatoes, seven other varieties were grown on trial plots to explore more productive options for farmers and support a more sustainable potato industry: Hilite Russet, Russet Burbank, Eva, Mystere, Kennebec, Red Norland, and Satina.

In a statement issued on Sept. 12, URC said the harvest marks the latest milestone for Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Sustainable Potato Program, which has provided farmers with seed potatoes, technical training, and market opportunities for the past eight years.

URC President and CEO Irwin Lee credited the program’s gains to the farmers’ hard work and the partnerships built around the initiative.

“These achievements belong to every farmer whose dedication and stewardship have transformed every harvest into a better future for their families and communities,” Lee said.

Growing opportunities for farmers

The July harvest was grown from 54 metric tons of Granola seed potatoes distributed by URC on April 25 to 216 members of the United Potato Producers of Benguet and Mountain Province Incorporated (UPPBMPI).

Planted in early May, the crop was fully harvested on the last week of August. Farmers will retain part of the harvest as seed potatoes for the next planting cycle and sell the rest to generate income.

This latest distribution builds on the program’s eight-year support for potato-growing communities. Over that period, URC has distributed more than 600 metric tons of seed potatoes worth over P40 million to more than 1,000 farmers across the Cordillera Administrative Region, Bukidnon, and Davao.

The company estimates that these have produced about 34,000 metric tons of potatoes with a farm-gate value of approximately P1.36 billion, while participating farmers have earned an average annual income of about P300,000. In 2024, the company also reported that the program had contributed to a 4 percent increase in national potato production during its first five years.

Supporting the next generation

Support for farming families has extended beyond the fields.

Since 2022, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has funded scholarships for 18 children of farmers benefiting from the potato program, most of whom attend Benguet State University. The initiative has already supported eight graduates, including two who finished cum laude. Six more scholars are expected to graduate this year, with the rest continuing their studies toward graduation in 2028 and 2029.

The foundation also donated a greenhouse, in partnership with Kerry Group Philippines Foundation, used to propagate potato seedlings, further connecting agricultural support with efforts to strengthen the long-term viability of potato farming.

Cultivating a more sustainable future

This year’s harvest coincides with URC’s 70th anniversary. Founded in 1956, the food and beverage company said the milestone underscores its broader efforts to create economic opportunities in communities connected to its business.

Lee said URC plans to continue expanding farmers’ access to quality agricultural inputs, technical training, and market opportunities as the program moves into its next phase.

“Together, we will continue building stronger farming communities of the future,” he said.

For Benguet’s farmers, that future begins with the harvest now emerging from fields planted in May, with some potatoes headed to market and others saved as seed for the next crop.