MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – A La Union farmer is encouraging others to switch from seasonal crops to lemon trees, citing year-round harvests and resilience against weather disruptions.

Lope Bautista of L&D Citrus Farm in Naguilian said that lemon trees provide non-stop income compared to traditional rice and vegetables.

“This is the best in agriculture even if you are sending children to school, because it is year-round, the income is non-stop,” Bautista said.

He started the farm in 2019, initially struggling to sell green lemons until demand surged during the pandemic. The family now processes lemons into bottled drinks and markets them online, at pasalubong centers and trade fairs.

His daughter, Lopemae, a recent finance graduate, joined the business and won a national young farmers award for their "Perr-Res" lemon products.

With 480 trees yielding 500 kilos each annually, Bautista credits training and support from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Trade and Industry for their success.