In Region 12, a Food Security Meeting spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) 12 with National Food Security Adviser Emmanuel Piñol birthed a plan to establish pilot demonstration onion farms in SOCCSKSARGEN.
The said meeting gathered private seed companies and other food and agriculture related government agencies.
According to Piñol, red onions usually sold at Php30-40 per kilo skyrocketed up to Php600-800/kl in the market.
This problem lead the sector to set an eye on Mindanao as potential onion production site.
Provided with the necessary technological adjustments, report from the private sector says SOCCSKSARGEN has the potential to be an onion production site.
After identifying potential areas as an initial step, it was agreed that pilot onion demo farms will be established in General Santos City and Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat.
The said farms will cater to the different technologies presented by the private companies. To be created and monitored by appointed agencies, this step is ultimately aiming to capture the best conditions and technologies to be used to establish a sustainable onion industry specific to SOCCSKSARGEN.
With the modernization of agriculture, excuses relating to technological advancement is lessened according to Piñol.
“We have to teach our farmers modern technology. Where do we get good seeds and who will teach us technology?” he said.
Through the demo farms, the project is targeting to utilize 9 hectares for onion production this year.
“It is very challenging to select which varieties are adaptable dito sa atin. Kung wala man, what technologies are we going to employ para kumita ang ating mga magsasaka,” DA12 OIC-Regional Executive Director Sailila Abdula expressed.
Through the Agricultural Training Institute 12 (ATI 12), trainings on onion production and management are already set to be conducted during the first two quarters of this year according to ATI 12 Director Abdul Daya-an.
Furthermore, partners will also be identified to buy the products with assured price and consistent market.
Food and agri-related agencies of Region 12 solidified their full support and participation to the upcoming strategies of the project in order to mitigate the current onion crisis battering the farmers and non-farming citizens alike. (Aldrich Lloyd C. Talonding)
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