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How To Grow Grapes in the Philippines

Everytime I would check in at the Montebello Hotel in Cebu, I would pass by the grape vineyards around it. Last time I heard however, the vineyards are not there anymore.

Kamagong,

I see what the problems were.

1. Now only about 12 has. are devoted to grape production in Cebu.

2. Grapes needs cool season for dormancy which we don't have because of the location.

3. To compensate for dormancy, the grapes are subjected to severe pruning/trimming and deprived of irrigation.

4. The grapes grown are not the best quality.

5. The price per kilo of harvested table grapes in Cebu were about 2x more the cost of imported grapes.

There are a lot of challenges for grape growers in Cebu and elsewhere in the Philippines. I hope they find better locations more suited to growing grapes. Philippines is now one of best market in Asia for imported wines.

Back in the 60s, my lolo tried growing grapes. Everybody said it couldn't be done in the Philippines. Well, the vines grew, and there were fruits. But, they were so sour, he might as well have been growing vinegar.

Eventually us grandkids ended up just lying under the shady trellis, daydreaming of a time when grapes wouldn't be just a Christmas thing. Of course, today, there are grapes on our supermarket shelves every single day of the year.

Do you want to be a "gentlewoman farmer" and revive your Lolo's vineyard? If so, let me know if you need help in selection of bare root grape seedlings. Seedlings here are usually sold before springtime... probably around Feb or Mar 2009.

"Philippines is now one of best market in Asia for imported wines."

Really??? WINE???

I'm under the impression that Pinoys in RP drink to get drunk, hence consider wine is "pangbabae", only for women. During parties, nothing but rum, whiskey, brandy and lambanog and of course, cases of beer, thank you!...

Only parties with wine I'd gone to when I was there were when with my expat birdwatching buddies.

Are Pinoys coming of age socially?...

Nice thought, but I pity the poor grapes that will wither on the vine. Gardening/farming could be one of my hidden talents - but it's been hiding for a reason! Nothing green about me - no green thumb in evidence, no green bucks in my pocket... the only concession to green I am willing to make is this: it's all in my mind!:mrgreen:

El Fil,

You are familiar with La Union,Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan where grapes are grown. Are you also involved in this venture?

A passing familiarity, yes. The vineyards that used to be during Marcos years are now gone. The Philippine wine-making industry, I think, is still bordering on fantasy. I could be wrong. There is one fermentation process I would like to at least shoot the breeze with you.

Fire away!

It would be nice if the "Moonshine" equipments used in Southern States can be exported to or made locally in the Philippines for producing wine from grapes, corn, coconut and rice.

p.s. When I was young, I wanted to own and operate a "Sarsaparilla"
bottling plant. Instead, I got into motorcycle business.

Would this article interest either of you "wine-nnoisseurs?"


Philippines planning to create 'iconic' wine from coconut
CHERYL ARCIBAL, GMANews.TV
06/17/2008 | 12:32 PM

MANILA, Philippines- A government agency is undertaking a project that would produce an “iconic" Filipino wine from coconut, that could be in the leagues of Russia’s vodka, France’s champagne or Japan’s sake.

The Philippine Coconut Authority has signed a memorandum of agreement with local wine maker Marius Diaz to start discovering a technology which could turn coconut wine into a cultural product that the Philippines could export.

The P5.5 million project, which seeks to produce 7,200 liters of “Nilak" or 9,600 bottles (750 ml) each of Nilak, is funded by the Japanese government.

Diaz, who studied the culture of wine-making in France, said most of the funds will go to importing “cultured yeast" and other vinificants from the Champagne Institute of France.

“We are interested in producing an iconic cultural product from the Philippines. This will even be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia," Diaz told reporters.

Garin, on the other hand, added that Diaz will have 12 months to finish discovering the technology and then the government will come up with its marketing strategy to sell the product both locally and even overseas. - GMANews.TV

For 5.5 million pesos, some FF members can probably find a viable technology process. Lambanog is already 80-90 proof, whereas vodka is only about half [roughly 40 proof] in alcohol content.

And venture into natural vinegars from Palm/Cocounut [tuba/lambanog] [like Sukang Paombong], Sugarcane [Sukang Ilocos] or rice [tapuy] as by products.