SAN MATEO, Isabela—The Regional Field Office No. 2 of the Department of Agriculture vowed to work harder to boost the production of garlic, a controversial commodity that recently gained national attention after Senator Cynthia Villar raised a legislative inquiry on import permits.
“The Department of Agriculture will intensify garlic production in the whole of Cagayan Valley,” declared DA Regional Executive Director Narciso A. Edillo in his regular morning program “Director’s Hour” on radio DWDA based in Tuguegarao City on Monday.
Edillo also mentioned other spices like ginger and onion. “This is in response to the marching order of [Agriculture] Secretary Emmanuel F. Piňol to conduct field trials in all regions,” he said.
“Taking note of the national demand, only 6 percent are coming from local production. It means we are dependent on other countries to supply our needs,” Edillo said.
DA will hold technology demonstrations at its research stations and in various research facilities of state colleges and universities nationwide. A regional technology forum will be held sometime in November to map out strategies to lower the country’s dependence on imported garlic, the agency announced.
“Cagayan Valley is the third largest producer of garlic in the country,” said Robert Olinares, the Regional Technical Director working on the High Value Crops Development Program. He called on farmers in the region’s coastal towns to raise garlic even on a small-scale level.
Olinares also encouraged backyard production among households to save money, as the price of garlic is very high. Ilocos Region and Calabarzon (Region 4A) are leading garlic producers at present. In Region 2, Batanes and Nueva Vizcaya are the biggest producers.
Villar has raised the issue on garlic importation in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, which she chairs.
The senator is expected to visit San Mateo on Thursday to be the commencement speaker during the mass graduation rites for 1,000 farmers who finished various training courses offered by the Agricultural Training Institute of the Department of Agriculture based here.