THE BENGUET State University’s Northern Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center can now provide quality potato planting materials after being accredited as a seed producer.

The Bureau of Plant Industry recently sent the Certificate of Accreditation by the National Seed Quality Control Services Industry, proof that the school has complied with the recommendations of the agency’s evaluation team.

Dr. Juliet Ochasan of the BPI’s Cordillera Administrative Region office said that the university can provide quality potato planting materials because it was found compliant with the potato seed production standards set by the government.

Dr. Ruth Batani, vice president for research and extension, said that bagging the accreditation was another milestone for the university.

“This shows that the academe is a significant partner in the agricultural value chain,” Batani said.

Prof. Jocelyn Perez, one of the pioneer researchers on potato in BSU and currently the director of the Cordillera Organic Agriculture Research and Development Center, said that locally available and quality seed potato planting materials would erase the notion that only imported potatoes are the best quality.

NPRCRTC Director Cynthia Kiswa said that the center produces 30 varieties of potatoes and supplies more than 150,000 potato seedlings to its clients annually.