Mr. Mario Calayco and his Longkong Lanzones(note his multi-rootstock technology).President Roxas town in North Cotabato is home to a multitude of tribes, vast areas of rice, corn, plantation crops, as well as high value crops like durian, lanzones, mangosteen, passion fruit, etc. In the past five years, this town is beginning to improve in terms of agricultural productivity.

One exceptional agri-entrepreneur and Region 12's Farmer Industry Advisory Council Chair is MARIO CAMPOREDONDO CALAYCO  who owns a farm in Poblacion, Pres. Roxas, Cotabato. He integrates  rice, fishpond, coconut, rambutan, durian, mangosteen, lanzones and passion fruit. With his very deep interest in farming, he always sees to it that he himself manages all the daily activities in his farm. This interest led him to continuously search and collect technologies that might be applicable in his farm.

Being a farmer he says, is not at all bountiful harvests. His farm also experienced being ravaged by flashflood (2008) which washed away his fruit nursery, duckery, and fishes from his fishponds, and then again El Nino (2009-early 2010). But right away, he tried to put pieces into place and true enough “after a storm comes a sunshine”.

Mr. Calayco was one of the first farmers in Mindanao to plant Longkong lanzones. This very high value crop is a variety introduced from Thailand and Malaysia, with oval to nearly round fruit with delectable, tasty, and sweet, crispy flesh which is almost seedless.
In Sir Mario’s farm, he has more or less five hundred  (500) fruit bearing Longkong trees, which are now heavily-laden with bunches of fruits. Seeing these, he already forgets the daily problems he encounters in his farm. Buyers continuously flock to his house and farm for first and early bookings for his soon to be ripened Longkong. Some will also be shipped to Manila for special orders.

Contributory to his being a successful farmer are agricultural technologies that he implements in his farm. One of these, is use of multiple rootstock technology (MRT) where two to three rootstocks becomes the base of his trees. This helps the tree with better anchorage, absorption of water and nutrients, and oxygen for respiration. Therefore, if a plant has more developed root system, its growth is accelerated, thus enhancing more flowers and fruits. When his lanzones fruits are already marble-size, he sprays them with tawas (aluminum silicate) in minimum amounts, as his pest control treatment. Based on his observations, insect pests are warded-off by this concoction.

Another technology which he got from a fellow successful farmer( who is a medical doctor!), is the use of MYKOVAM, a soil-based biofertilizer which has effective species of fungi called vesicular, arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM). This helps plants in the absorption of water and nutrients which results in vigorous and better nourished plants which are more resistant to pests and diseases and eventually results to sweeter and better tasting fruits.

As a hands-on farmer, he continuously learns and experiments agricultural technologies that are adapted to his area and his crops. But like any other endeavor, there are also technologies that don’t simply work in his farm, and from them, good agricultural practices blossoms. A lot can be learned from one’s modifications and adaptation process and then important lessons and results are learned along the way.

Asked of his future plans, he says, he’ll mass propagate in his nursery plant materials from his champion trees of Longkong and rambutan (Malaysian jade). Presently, he is also into passion fruit planting as well as Nam Dok Mai (an equally delectable mango variety) and says: “ abangan ang susunod na kabanata” (watch out for the next chapter to come”). You may contact him in this mobile number (+63)9212382984.

PICTORIALS