Ilocos Norte farmers ready to produce off-season veggies

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Vintar, Ilocos Norte—Amidst the threat of El Niño phenomenon, farmers here has accepted the challenge to produce off-season vegetables with the right mix of technology, marketing assistance and support from government.

Recognized as one of the country’s top rice producer, Vintar town with the largest land area of 624.85 square kilometres in Ilocos Norte is ready to embark on a large scale production of off-season vegetables in partnership with the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines (VIEVA).

Just recently, Vintar Mayor Jose Foronda said the municipal agriculture office has started identifying agricultural lots viable for off-season vegetable production.

Aside from rice, onions, garlic, tobacco, mango, and eggplant as major agricultural crops here, the growing of other high value crops like ginger, paminta, monggo and achuete was also found to be feasible in the area.

Through a contract of agreement with interested farmers, the Ilocos Norte government through Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, has negotiated with VIEVA to assist farmers in the form of giving quality seeds for the production of off-season vegetables starting next month.

Various government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, National Irrigation Administration and the Ilocos Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium also assist them technically.

To date, around 1,000 hectares of agricultural lands in the towns of Vintar and Pasuquin were identified as production site of off-season vegetables for export.