CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Forming part of its observance, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-10, through OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, tackled and demonstrated sweet potato wine processing before agency personnel and via an online platform during the High Value Crops (HVC) Week celebration here.

Bearing the theme "Green Revolution: Road Towards Exportation," Dafni C. Carreon, science research specialist of the Research Division, shared her expertise on winemaking and the importance of engaging in such value-adding activity, with emphasis on advocating good agricultural practices to attain export-grade agricultural-based products.

According to Carreon, processing crops and fruits into wine will help preserve farmers' products and nutrients for a longer time and, at the same time, augment farmers' income, thereby encouraging them to plant more.

Carreon added that currently, DA-10, through its research stations, is developing wines ranging from sweet potato, rice, Adlai, roselle, cacao, rambutan, mangosteen, chayote, and yacon.

Set on having more people use locally grown crops and fruits in wine, she furthered that the agri department welcomes any requests for capacity enhancement for those interested in wine production.

Following the lecture and demonstration, a wine identification contest was also conducted, which was participated in by DA-10's different divisions, with the Operations and Research divisions emerging as the winners.

HVC Week is celebrated every April to mark the enactment of Republic Act 7900, otherwise known as the HVC Development Act of 1995, which targets to promote the production, processing, marketing, and consumption of high-value crops. (DA-10/PIA-10)