A BACK-TO-BACK consultation meeting cum packaging workshop for onion and garlic was recently conducted by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
Organized by the Crops Research Division (CRD), the activity led to the development of the Regional Industry Strategic S&T Plans (ISPs) for Onion and Garlic.
ISP Manager for Vegetables Leilani D. Pelegrina presented the industry needs and gaps of onion and garlic in the country and outlined the S&T interventions to address these concerns.
CRD director Jocelyn E. Eusebio encouraged the experts to take part in addressing the huge supply gap by generating and promoting promising technologies.
She also stressed the central role of S&T as an engine of growth and development.
Local onion production was beset by decreasing local supply as Nueva Ecija, the country’s top onion producer, was confronted by armyworm and anthracnose outbreak during the last cropping season.
The Nueva Ecija Office of Provincial Agriculturist reported that at least 1,100 hectares of onion farms in 23 municipalities in the province had been affected, most notably in Bongabon, the “onion basket of the Philippines.”
The outbreak has significantly affected the harvest of the farmers that led to loss in income.
To address this, DOST-PCAARRD aimed to complement the efforts of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the provincial government through packaging of the Regional ISP for Onion.
The plan is composed of S&T interventions covering the entire technology chain of onion from production to marketing.
The proposed frontline interventions include development of integrated pest and disease management for onion and promotion of good agriculture practices of bulb onions and shallot.
Other proposed S&T interventions that will address other important industry problems are genetic improvement¸ tissue culture with virus indexing, and improved seed system of shallot, shell life treatment system, low-cost postharvest and storage facility, mechanized weeder and harvester, technical efficiency maps, and product development, among many others.
Experts from the Central Luzon State University, University of the Philippines Los Baños, DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, DA Regional Field Office III, and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Nueva Ecija attended the consultation meeting.
The local garlic industry is challenged by decreasing production and area planted. The declining production is attributed mainly to low yield of existing varieties, limited area planted to garlic, and high postharvest losses.
Although efforts are gaining ground and headway, the country is still very far from achieving self-sufficiency.
Other issues discussed were the low yield potential of existing garlic varieties, absence of quality planting materials, and inadequate postharvest facilities.
Among the S&T interventions identified under the Regional ISP for Garlic were genetic improvement through induced mutation, DNA fingerprinting for identification of molecular markers with target traits, somatic embryogenesis, enhanced garlic seed system using bulbils; comprehensive pest and disease management protocol, optimized off-season and green garlic production technologies, irrigation management recommendations, development of planter and harvester, curing technology, and product development. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
