FEATURE STORY
Nestled high in the majestic mountain range of the Cordillera lies the quiet, cool town of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya. Enjoying a crisp, temperate climate remarkably similar to that of Baguio City, this highland municipality, gateway to the Cordilleras, has carved out a vital niche for itself as a agricultural powerhouse.
Renowned as the primary producer of chop suey vegetables in the province, Kayapa’s fertile soils and misty slopes produce an abundance of high-value crops, ranging from vibrant heads of cauliflower and crisp carrots to sturdy potatoes and leafy greens that feed thousands across the region. Yet, farming on these steep mountain slopes presents a unique challenge: logistics.
Transporting tons of delicate, freshly harvested produce down rugged hillsides to market hubs was once an arduous and time-consuming process. Enter the agricultural tramline facility in Barangay Tubungan. Since becoming operational in 2011, this cable-car haulage system has revolutionized how local growers transport their yields across deep ravines and steep inclines, bridging the gap between isolated mountain gardens and trade routes.
Tramlines are vital features in the vegetable community of Tubungan, Nueva Vizcaya, because they help farmers move products more efficiently and keep farm-to-market travel safer and more organized.
In many upland and agricultural areas, vegetables are harvested within short time windows, and delays can lead to spoilage or reduced profits. When a reliable tramline exists, transporting baskets, sacks, and crates becomes faster and less physically demanding, especially for farmers who may be working alone or relying on limited labor.
The tramline plays a central role in Tubungan, Nueva Vizcaya’s vegetable community by improving transportation efficiency, encouraging cooperation, protecting product quality, and strengthening economic opportunities. It helps farmers respond to the fast pace of vegetable production while reducing risks associated with hauling goods over difficult terrain. For these reasons, maintaining and valuing tramline infrastructure is essential to sustaining Tubungan’s vegetable livelihood and ensuring that farmers can continue to thrive.
Today, the Tubungan tramline directly serves 152 local farmers who together cultivate roughly 60 hectares of vegetable gardens.
Even with the ongoing construction and expansion of Farm-to-Market Roads (FMRs) across various parts of Nueva Vizcaya, the tramline remains an indispensable lifeline for Kayapa’s farming community. By drastically reducing labor costs, cutting down transport times, and protecting fragile crops from damage during transit, the facility ensures that Kayapa’s prized highland produce reaches dining tables at peak freshness.
As Nueva Vizcaya continues to cement its status as a major food basket in Northern Luzon, the harmonious blend of Kayapa’s natural mountain climate and practical modern infrastructure stands as a testament to rural resilience and agricultural ingenuity.
Written by: Dr. Ferdinand Cortez