Man grows over 500 apple trees in Digos, Davao del Sur

A farm owner in Digos City, Davao del Sur, was able to grow and cultivate over 500 apple trees on a three-hectare farm, a notable feat considering that apples usually grow in temperate areas.

According to Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras," Tuesday," Benzone Sepe got the idea to plant an apple tree in 2014 out of curiosity.

"Kumain ako ng apple naka-extract ako ng tatlong seeds. Itinanim ko. Isa lang po ang nag-survive, 2018 nakita ko nag-start po siyang bumunga," Sepe said.

[I ate an apple and was able to extract three seeds. I planted them. Only one survived and in 2018, I saw that it started to bear fruit]

Sepe said that during the summer, he waters his apple trees daily. He also regularly prunes the trees and uses goat manure for fertilizer.

"Merong bumibisita, pwede po silang makapag-pick ng mga apples. Ang dami na sana gustong umorder dito kaso nga lang medyo limited pa po ang ating mga fruit trees. Ang gusto kong mangyari maging producer na rin po ng apple kahit sa local lang," he said.

[There are those who visit, they can pick apples. A lot more wanted to order but our fruit trees are still quite limited. What I want to happen is to also be an apple producer in the local scene]

Apples are full of benefits, such as nutrients and vitamins. Kuya Kim also said that the fruit is fat-free and cholesterol-free, rich in fiber, and can help in controlling blood sugar and strengthening one's immune system.

Earwin Belen, an agriculturist and the head of Agri-Innovations and Agronomy at Kita Agritech, shared that apples usually grow in temperate areas or areas that cycle through the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter.

"Ang lahat naman ng halaman may adaptation naman 'yan sa lugar. 'Yung mansanas nakapag-adapt doon sa klima na meron doon sa Davao del Sur," Belen said on "24 Oras." "Posibleng magtanim tayo ng apple sa Pilipinas pero piling lugar lang. Mas nakita natin to sa mga elevated areas katulad ng Sagada."

[Every plant can adapt to its environment. The apple tree was able to adapt to the climate in Davao del Sur. It's possible to plant apples in the Philippines but only in select areas. We've seen this happen more in elevated areas like Sagada]

— CDC, GMA Integrated News