Reaching 2022 target

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s home province Ilocos has remained on track going into the last quarter of the year when it comes to garlic and chili production.

According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the province has a good 54% regional sufficiency level and a better picture of achieving its 2022 target for the said crops.

Citing data from DA-Ilocos Region’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur have already harvested a total of 3,700.32 and 243.55 metric tons (MT) of garlic, respectively.

HVCDP continues to provide hybrid seeds and foliar fertilizers for hot pepper production and garlic planting materials to help farmers.

For two consecutive weeks in August, the prevailing price of garlic per kilogram remained at P100 based on the latest monitoring of DA-RFO 1’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).

On the other hand, the latest production of hot pepper is 111.84 metric tons (MT), finger pepper or “siling haba” is at 260.50 MT, and 36.29 MT for sweet pepper.

Although the cost of siling labuyo (Taiwan) had gone up from its latest prevailing price at P400 from P350 two weeks ago, the siling labuyo’s (native) price decreased from P600 to P400 per kilo in its September 2 monitoring period.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Joel dela Torre