08/10/2025
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LOOK: JAPANESE MELONS FIND A HOME IN NUEVA ECIJA
Filipinos no longer need to fly to Japan just to taste their signature sweetness and juiciness—because Japanese melons are now thriving in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, thanks to Grovest Greenfield.
Grovest Greenfield was founded by 33-year-old Clarice Kong and her Malaysian husband, who acquired an 11-hectare property in 2019.
The farm began with palay cultivation, then expanded into oyster mushrooms and melons by 2023. Today, 8 hectares remain dedicated to rice while 3 hectares house 24 greenhouses for Japanese melons.
Kong explained their inspiration:
“The idea [of growing Japanese Melons] came from Malaysia, where we saw a friend’s farm cultivating them. That’s when we realized we could try it in the Philippines since the climates are alike.”
By November 2024, their first harvest was a success. They now grow five premium varieties: Sagami, the sweetest variety that weighs up to 1.8 kilograms with a farmgate price of ₱320 per kilogram; Fujisawa, which is similar in quality and price to Sagami; Daigoji and Inthanon, larger varieties that can weigh up to 3 kilograms and retail for ₱300 per kilogram; and Golden Honey, a more budget-friendly option priced at ₱220 per kilogram.
Kong takes pride in their melons’ 13–18% sugar content, round shapes, and blemish-free skin.
Aside from melons, they maintain 45,000 oyster mushroom fruiting bags (₱35 each) and sell mushrooms at ₱250 per kilo. Rice harvests reach 160 cavans per hectare.
Growing melons requires precision. Kong explained:
“From seed sowing until harvest, it takes 75 to 90 days depending on the variety and weather. And you can only harvest one melon per plant.”
They use semi-automation where fertilized water feeding is controlled via mobile phone, supported by drip irrigation systems and 158 solar panels that power rice and melon production. Pollination is done manually by workers for higher yields.
To promote their produce, they launched farm tours and pick-and-pay experiences. Visitors can choose a short tour (melon and mushroom picking) or a long tour (nursery, fertigation station, greenhouses, mushroom area, and harvesting). Guests get a free melon tasting at the start of every tour.
“At first, we were targeting bulk buyers. But when the first harvest came, nobody was buying. We tried selling online, and one customer insisted on visiting the farm just to make sure there were really Japanese melons in San Isidro,” Kong recalled. That experience inspired them to open their farm to the public.
For accessibility, Grovest Greenfield also ships from Pasay to supply malls, restaurants, and corporate giveaways.
Beyond business, Kong emphasizes their motto: “Community Partner.” They provide permanent jobs with fair salaries, benefits, HMO, paid leave, 13th-month pay, free meals, and full compliance with labor standards. They also give part-time work opportunities to housewives and students, empowering the local community.
From rice paddies to mushrooms and now premium Japanese melons, Grovest Greenfield is a model of innovation, sustainability, and community-centered farming in the Philippines.
This story originally appeared on Agriculture Online. Graphics and edits by Destination PH.
