BY JESSA MAE BANSALAN/DSSC INTERN
THREE winning young farmers offered valuable insights on how they overcame challenges to succeed in their respective ventures.
During the AgriBiz Media Forum on July 23, at SM Lanang, Andrea Rose Reyno known for her crispy Calabaza Deli, George Allen Callora for the hot and spicy Nesta’s Chili Co., and Kenny Masaglang for the tasty Baguio Crayfish offered valuable advice for other young farmers to emulate.
By sharing their experiences and insights, these winning young farmers hope to inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders in the country.
Andrea Rose Reyno started her business around 2020 and she shared how she initially did not consider squash as the main ingredient of her product.
However, she observed that farmers had no stable market for their squash, which caused a glut in the market during the harvest season. As a result, they were forced to sell their products at floor prices.
So, Reyno decided to find a way to help farmers raise their incomes, and that’s where she started the Calabaza Deli, which processes the product into chips, chicharon, ketchup, and flour.
During the forum, she encouraged young farmers to embrace new challenges and seek help when needed, emphasizing the importance of contributing to the community.
“Get out of your comfort zone, expand your boundaries, ask for help, and find motivation not just for yourself but also for the community,” she said.
On the other hand, George Allen Callora, started earlier than the rest of the guests as he sold chili sauce in 2017 as a hobby, beginning with his colleagues at a call center.
He was not fully committed to business until he was blessed with a son with an inborn congenital defect, forcing him to convert his hobby into a more serious venture. To stand out, he uses Carolina Reapers as his base paste for his chili sauce.
He advised to always start small but dream big, emphasizing gaining experience is a must and focusing on reinvesting profits while maintaining a long-term vision.
“Don’t be too aggressive, start small but dream big and gain experience; also, enhance and reinvest the profit”, he said.
Lastly, Kenny Masaglang was once struggling to survive the Baguio Crayfish as his main product but remained persistent and managed to find a way to overcome the obstacles. He highlighted the importance of pursuing a passion and focusing on creating a quality product, with profit as a secondary outcome.
These insights provide valuable guidance for aspiring young farmers, equipping them with the mindset to succeed in the agricultural business landscape.
Photo from Young Farmers Challenge-Davao Region FB page
