By Leilanie G.
Adriano
Staff Reporter
PASUQUIN, Ilocos
Norte—The Association of garlic and onion farmers in this town wants to claim
their crown as the biggest producer of Ilocos white gold, asking the Department
of Agriculture (DA) through Secretary Proceso Alcala to grant their request.
Records from the
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show that Ilocos Norte is the top producer of
garlic in the Philippines, contributing at least 69 percent or 6,284 metric tons
(MT) of the national output in 2010 next to Occidental Mindoro with 22.03
percent or 2,012MT, Nueva Ecija, 3.55 percent or 324MT, Quezon, 2.93 percent or
268MT and Ilocos Sur 2.68 percent or 245MT.
On March 10,
provincial board member Albert Chua, chairperson of the committee on
agriculture reported to the body about the letter-request of the Association of
Garlic and Onion Growers of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte addressed to the Alcala to
declare Pasuquin town as the garlic capital of the Philippines for being the
top producer of garlic in the province.
Wilfredo Valdez,
president of the garlic and onion growers in Pasuquin said in his letter that
being the top producer of garlic in the province and to further promote the
product, let it be known that Pasuquin be declared as garlic capital of the
country.
In Ilocos Norte,
Pasuquin town has about 620 hectares planted with garlic with an average yield
of 2,382MT delivered in 2013, based on a presentation entitled “Garlic Industry
Roadmap of Ilocos Norte” done by researchers from the Mariano Marcos State
University, tasked by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the
provincial government of Ilocos Norte to revitalize the garlic industry here.
This is followed
by Vintar with 278 hectares or a yield of 889MT, Sarrat, 113 ha or 332MT,
Burgos, 114ha or 399MT and San Nicolas, 110 ha or 297MT respectively.
From 2005 to 2013,
the volume of garlic production in Ilocos Norte however have been decreasing,
resulting to fluctuating farm gate prices pegged at 85/kg-45/kg.
Farmers said this
is mainly due to poor quality of planting stocks and lack of support from the government.
In late 2013, the
provincial government and the DA in partnership with the MMSU converge to
revitalize the garlic industry here and harness it potential as the garlic
capital of the country.
Garlic grows well
in Ilocos Norte because of its suitable soil and climatic conditions.
With a revitalized
garlic industry in the province, the Ilocos Norte Federation of Garlic Growers
in Ilocos Norte with at least 124 memberships hopes to improve the quality of
their produce and compete in the global market.
To date, a garlic
trading post is waiting to become fully operational in Pinili town with
available production and marketing assistance in place.
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