Blossoming Business

Mrs. Sylvia Oydi and Aida Busoy are neighbours in Tawang, La Trinidad. They have been loyal clients of JVOMFI since 2003.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of plantitos and plantitas have opened an opportunity for plant hobbyist and potted plant sellers to generate income. Our clients from Tawang, La Trinidad, Mrs. Oyti and Mrs. Busoy has always been into potted plants business. They sell succulents and flowering plants like African violets and poinsettia.

Even during the lockdown, they continued planting and propagating their potted plants. They did not see it as a setback but as a time to propagate more plants and make more mother plants. As the demand on potted plants grow they are able to sell more plants at 50% increase in selling price. Buyers would also buy their plants as buds. Before, they sell African violets at ₱35 or 3 pots for ₱100, now they are selling it at ₱70- ₱80 per pot, and are able to sell 40-100 pots per week. Sometimes, they cannot even meet the orders due to the high demand of potted plants.

Mrs. Oyti and Mrs. Busoy are one of the first clients of greenhouse loan. Because of the greenhouses they are able to plant even during rainy season and make more income since the rain does not destroy their plants. It is sturdy, they said, unlike the bamboo greenhouses they used to have.  “We can plant and sell all year round.” This year Mrs. Oyti and Mrs. Busoy will complete the payment of their greenhouses.

Greenhouse loan is payable in 2 years. To be eligible for a greenhouse loan a borrower should be a permanent resident and owner of the farmland, at least 1-year practitioner of organic farming, has established market, member of recognized organic farming group and has capacity to pay based on cash flow.

Here's a quick guide in growing African Violets 🙂

-pluck a leaf from a mother African violet planet

-plant the leaf in a compost/ soft soil

-wait for it to bud, and replant in a pot

-African violets thrive in compost soil or “alnos”