Ilocos Norte farmers move to revitalize Ilocos ‘white gold’

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—The dramatic price increase of basic commodities including agricultural products such as garlic, popularly known as the Ilocos “white gold” Ilocos has prodded government officials, researchers and farmers here to move and ensure a stable supply to benefit both producers and consumers.

A long-time garlic farmer, Florencio Lista, 72, of Barangay San Juan in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte said garlic farming has helped him send his children to school. Amidst the increasing cost of farming inputs and seasonality of garlic production, he continues to grow garlic in his half hectare land with at least 1.75 metric tons-production with an expected yield of at least P157, 000.

Over the years, Ilocos Norte remains as the country’s top producer of native garlic contributing 66.11 percent in 2012 next to Occidental Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, and Ilocos Sur.

However, garlic production in the Philippines has decreased from 2006 to 2012, according to reports from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. In 2005, Ilocos Norte has recorded about 8,232.23 metric tons covering 3,050 hectares while in 2013, the province only produced 5, 435.76 metric tons covering 1,740 hectares mostly in the top garlic-producing towns of Pasuquin, Vintar, Burgos and San Nicolas.

It further states that out of the 143,028 metric tons of total annual demand from garlic, the country only produces 15 percent and the rest are imported from China.

In preparation for the next planting season from October 15 to November 15, researchers from the state-run Mariano Marcos State University in Batac Campus tasked by the Department of Agriculture to revitalize the garlic industry through sustainable seed support system are now readying about 61.5 tons of planting materials to benefit 453 farmers here.

To improve quality planting stocks, the MMSU has trained potential garlic seed producers to be accredited by the Bureau of Plant Industry.

With the increasing demand of garlic for culinary and medicinal purposes, Margarita Selga, president of the Ilocos Norte Federation of Garlic Growers with at least 124 active members are now planning to expand 3,000 hectares of garlic plantation from the 1,740 hectares planted last year.

“We are thankful that the government continues to assist garlic growers and processors. It is high time to expand as there is a great demand for products here and abroad,” she said.  

Aside from growing garlic in a 20-hectare plantation, Ms. Selga is also engaged in garlic processing such as chips and pickles among others. She likewise shares her knowledge with fellow women farmers and empowers other garlic associations for them to be able to negotiate better prices with traders.

Expressing support to farmers, the Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala recently turned over a P1.3 million worth of garlic hanger storage facility located at Barangay Nalvo also in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte where farmers can temporarily deposit their harvest while negotiating for good prices with traders.

Aside from this, various post-harvest facilities and construction of small-water impounding projects and irrigation facilities were given to farmers to increase their productivity.

Dr. Miriam Pascua, MMSU president, also reported that they are ready to embark on cultivating tissue-culture garlic to further develop better quality, high-yielding and pest-resistant varieties to compete in the world market.

MMSU also plans to register with BPI the popular known varieties of garlic here such as “Ilocos white gold” and “tanbolters”. Other known varieties planted in other garlic-producing provinces of the country include: “Ilocos pink”, “Nueva Ecija pink” and “white”, “Batanes white”, “Batangas white” and “Cabuyao and Mindoro I”.

In late 2013, the provincial government and the DA in partnership with MMSU converge to revitalize the garlic industry here and fully harness its potential as the garlic capital of the Philippines.

Native garlic grows well in Ilocos Norte because of its suitable soil and climatic conditions.

With a renewed effort to revitalize garlic industry, the Ilocos Norte Federation of Garlic Growers hopes to improve the quality of their produce and reduce garlic importation here.

To date, a garlic trading post is waiting to become fully operational in Pinili town along with other trading posts situated in various parts of the province.