GOOD HARVEST. Farmer Diony del Campo proudly shows a bundle of onions that is part of his harvests in Barangay Banganan, Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya on Tuesday (Dec. 24, 2019). Del Ocampo, who planted during off-season, says this scheme has reaped more income for onion farmers in the landlocked upland town. (Photo courtesy of DA-Nueva Vizcaya)
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya -- Planting onions during the "ber" months reaps good harvests.
This has been proven true in the innovative Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) Project on Off-Season Onion Production and Enterprise Development in Rice-Based Areas in Banganan and Bone South villages in Aritao town in Nueva Vizcaya.
The project was pushed by the research division of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 2 and the Nueva Vizcaya Experiment Station. It was funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).
Farmer-cooperator Diony del Campo of Banganan village, who tried the off-season planting of onions, said he was amazed by the outcome of his crop.
“It is really possible to produce onions even during its off-season. Aside from that, it would be an advantage as the off-season production means having a good selling price,” he told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday.
Diony said he already sold onions at PHP100 per kilo, which is thrice higher than the PHP35 commanding price during peak season.
Couple Leonardo and Fe Marcelo of Bone South also experienced bumpy harvest after they started planting at their 500-square-meter farm lot in September last year using the Super Pinoy variety given by the agriculture office.
“We know that the onions would be selling briskly as locally produced onions are seldom now in the market,” Leonardo said.
Onion farmers who plant on small lots are said to be earning more than those who plant on bigger farmlands. Agriculture technicians assist them and provide rain shelters and insect traps.
“We hope to replicate this off-season farming to help farmers earn more,” Lovelyn Gaspar, DA regional research division chief, said.
To sustain the project, the Nueva Vizcaya Experiment Station workers will monitor and assist the planters.
“We need to document the technology used such as the broadcast-type planting to help other farmers,” said NVES project leader Salvador Bulda.
Aritao town has been one of the primary producers of onions in Cagayan Valley. (PNA)
