HYDROPONICs in the TROPICS

To better understand this phenomenon let us define those fruits and vegetables that thrive in the temperate climates and tropical regions. To name a small selection;

FRUITS SUITED TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES:

   Strawberries
   Raspberries
   Apples                                         Thrive with little or no pesticides.
   Peaches                                      Easy to achieve first quality produce
   Apricots
   Nectarines

VEGETABLES SUITED TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES:

   Lettuces
   Spinach                                          Excellent quality when grown
   Broccoli                                           in temperate regions
   Cabbage
   Varieties of Herbs

FRUITS SUITED TO TROPICAL CLIMATES:

   Pineapples
   Bananas
   Mangoes                                           Cannot be grown in
   Dorian                                               temperate regions
   Jack Fruit
   Coconuts

VEGETABLES SUITED TO TROPICAL CLIMATES:

   Petchay
   Kankong                                    Very limited varieties of green vegetable.
   Garlic                                         Difficult to grow without using
   Onions                                      dangerous herbicides & pesticides
   Camote

What do we learn from the above analysis?

Firstly it’s“varieties for regions”. Try to grow fruit or vegetables outside of their natural habitat and region and the dire consequences are obvious when the produce is examined.

Secondly, if you persist in growing produce not naturally suited to your region you will never be able to achieve profitable results. Fruits and vegetables grown in the Philippines in soil are subjected to all of the “terrors” of nature encountered particularly in the tropics. To name only a few;

   High Heat Stress
   High Humidity
   Pathogens                                    Necessary to combat all of
   Bacteria                                         these problems in
   Pests                                             the Philippines
   Drought
   Floods

The Filipino farmers cannot be blamed for using all manner of herbicides, pesticides, chemicals and preservative methods to at least get some produce to market. The results of this type of culture for vegetable growing can be witnessed in the local markets. Reject quality and high prices of farm produce are evident.

The “knock-on” effect is terrible for the Filipino families. The parents and children cannot get their daily nutritional requirements that are available only from eating fresh fruit and vegetables.

Up until this present time there has been no answer to these horticultural problems. The Filipino farmers are still struggling to make a living and the Filipino people are suffering health wise and financially.