521 farmers receive garlic seedstock

By Reynaldo E. Andres

Contributor

           

Batac City—Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has distributed more than 26 tons of high quality garlic planting materials to 521 farmers from the seven garlic-producing towns of Ilocos Norte in a simple program held at the MMSU Bodega on October 9.

The seed loan was part of the project “Revitalizing the garlic industry through a sustainable seed support system” which is being jointly implemented by MMSU, Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN), DA Regional Field Unit 1(DA RFU-1), Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC), the Garlic Growers Association of Ilocos Norte, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice-Batac), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, who graced the ceremonial activity, said this project is the result of the proposed national garlic industry improvement program to Senators Cynthia Villar and Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Ms Marcos, and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala which led to a Senate inquiry on the present situation of the province’s garlic industry, and the policies and practices on the importation and distribution of garlic and onion which greatly affect Ilocos farmers.

“This seed support system that sustains garlic production in Ilocos Norte is now being realized with so that farmers would increase their hectarage and, eventually, the volume of high quality harvest in the next few years,” the governor said.

The 26-ton seedstock loan by farmers was part of the 30 tons of garlic bulbs that were produced by MMSU and some reputable garlic growers in the province. It was bought using the P10 million released by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

MMSU Pres. Miriam E. Pascua has assured the garlic farmers that “we are giving you quality garlic cloves so that our reputation as the producer of aromatic and quality garlic bulbs in the country would be strengthened.”

Last year, the university has planted five hectares of its more than 200-hectare production area in the main campus solely for high quality garlic varieties such as the Ilocos White, Cabuyao, Ilocos Pink, and Tan Bolters. Working in partnership with the other agencies, the university is enhancing its capability of producing high quality planting materials so that it could sustain the garlic seed system in the province.

Meanwhile, garlic is best planted from October 15 to the later part of November. For other varieties such as Mindoro 1 and Cabuyao, late planting can be done until December 15 only to avoid total production failure due to crop’s vulnerability to bulb rot diseases and photosensitivity.

Aside from the mentioned varieties, there are other four cultivars that are well adapted in Ilocos Norte—the Nueva Ecija Pink, Nueva Ecija White, Batanes White, and the Batangas White.

These varieties can produce an average of 4.5 tons per hectare, but it can also reach the yield potential of 6 tons per hectare if given the proper cultural management practices.

Sold at a farmgate price of P150 per kilo, the 6-ton yield can give the farmer a gross income of P900,000 per hectare. Deducting the production cost of P85,000, he rakes in a substantial P815,000 net profit.