Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG
CITY—Responding to recent developments of
the garlic industry, the Department of Agriculture (DA) sees a long-term
solution to improve production and boost farmers’ income through proper
technology.
One of these is the
development of tissue-cultured garlic, a technology that has already been
proven to produce clean, virus-free and pest-resistant planting materials up to
six generations.
“In order to boost
productivity, our farmers only need to have an open mind,” DA Secretary Proceso
Alcala said, who was in the province for a three-day visit to inaugurate several
projects beneficial to several farmers and fishermen associations here.
Mr. Alcala told farmers the
department in cooperation with researchers at the Mariano Marcos State
University is now in the process of developing quality planting stocks of
garlic to assists farmers in the region.
To expedite the improvement
of high quality planting stocks which has been identified as a major factor of
low production in the last five years, DA is willing to shell out more research
funds to come up with quality planting stocks the soonest possible time.
MMSU Garlic experts said the
development of tissue-cultured planting stocks for garlic may take about four
years if this is done in a normal process.
From 2003 to 2005, Ilocos
Norte has adopted organic farming to produce tissue-cultured garlic bulbs. Four
of the local varieties were produced organically namely: Cagayan, Ilocos
White, Mindoro and Tan Bolter.
In 2006, a demonstration farm
was put up in the province in cooperation with the local farmers and the
provincial government.
However, due to small areas
devoted to garlic, high cost of production, insufficient quality planting
materials, unstable price due to importation and manipulation of middlemen and
insufficient technology on processing to produce quality products, the garlic
industry here has died down.
The spike in garlic prices
could have been avoided should there have been enough local supply, DA
officials said.
For the first time in the
Philippine history, Alcala said the price of imported garlic went higher than
the local produce.
During the last harvest
season, garlic growers earned enough but traders benefitted more because they
have control over the imported and locally-produced.
Citing the issue as an “eye
opener”, DA is encouraging all farmers to try and adopt new technologies and
practice diversified farming.
In Ilocos region and in many
parts of the country, the green tops are used for pinakbet, an Ilocano delicacy. Aside from being used as a
food ingredient, garlic is used to treat wounds and cure certain ailments like
toothache, skin diseases, and epilepsy. Its compounds are also believed to help
prevent heart attack by preventing blood platelets from forming into blood
clots. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals. These include
calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and vitamins A and C.
Garlic or “bawang” is one of
the most economically important crops in the country. Here in the
Philippines, the Ilocos Region is the largest producer.
The plant produces bulb which
is surrounded by sheaths and composed of thin-shelled bulblets, cloves or set,
all of which are capable of forming a new plant.
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