AS a tropical country, the Philippines is acknowledged as an onion-growing state from Batanes up north to Mindanao down south. Because the versatile high-value crop could be grown all over the archipelago, many rice farmers have shifted to onion farming as they tried and proven that they earn more from cultivating the red bulb better known to Filipinos as sibuyas.
With these potentials, a large-scale farmer who refuses to be identified raised the issue of why the country still needs to import the spice bulbs when onions could be grown anywhere in the Philippines. Smuggling of the spice from nearby countries is also an ongoing concern.
As a vital cooking ingredient, onions are an all-around ingredient that could be mixed and cooked with other vegetables, seafood and meat for better taste and flavor.
A favorite dish like the Ilocano dinakdakan and its Capampangan counterpart sisig have onions as prime ingredients, making the spicy delicacies enticing to eat.
Studies showed that onion is one of the world’s healthiest foods. It provides numerous health benefits, including heart-health support, bone and connective tissue health, anti-inflammatory benefits, potential blood-sugar regulator.
Further research reveals that onion contains disease prevention, antioxidant and antiaging properties. The polyphenol content of onion is higher than its fellow allium vegetables like garlic and leeks. Onion is found to lower cholesterol levels, fight asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, diabetes, atherosclerosis, infections and is specifically linked to inhibiting human stomach cancer. Likewise, it is also rich in antibiotic, antiviral and anticancer powers.
In 1982 Dutch seedsman Simon Nanne Groot, together with Filipino seed trader Benito Domingo, opened the first seed-research station in Lipa, Batangas, to introduce high-quality vegetable seeds in Southeast Asia. Combining European seed technology and Asian tropical farming know-how, they launched seed-production technology together.
Three decades later East-West Seed Philippines introduced new vegetable varieties, including onions, to local farmers who tried and tested the potentials of the said vegetables in their respective areas. In particular, onion caught the attention of many farmers.
Cagayan Valley, known as the rice granary of the Philippines, is where many farmers were convinced they could earn significantly from the crop.
In Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, farmers shifted to growing onions in large-scale production. Onion has become the town’s One Town, One Product. Production surplus of onions in the province is also seen as a bright opportunity among farmers as alternative source of income and to boost the local economy.
In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Aritao Municipal Agriculture Officer Denia Fragata said the town has 850 onion farmers in nine villages who cultivate a total of 350 hectares.
“While we provide our farmers technical assistance, it is their option to buy their seeds directly from agricultural stores in town. Many prefer the Red Pinoy variety of East-West Seed Philippines,” Fragata informed.
East-West Seed Allium Division Business Manager Grandeur Gaspar said his team regularly provides technical assistance, trainings and pest-disease management to farmers who patronize their onion-seed products. He added establishing demonstration farms onsite showcase the actual growth performance of their onion varieties like Red Pinoy, Super Pinoy, Nueventa and Batanes Jumbo. Likewise, he said, holding onion festivals is an effective showcase not only to promote their seed products but a good chance to directly educate farmers on technology and product updates, as his team joined them in celebrating the high-yield harvest. Aritao just recently celebrated its weeklong Panagsisibuyas Festival starting on March 20 at the municipal grounds. Just recently, two onion festivals for over 200 farmers were held respectively in Rizal and Pangasinan.
“During these festivals, we teach best practices on onion production and give advices on how to manage pest and diseases. We also showcase new innovations like the Encrusted Onion and mechanical onion planter,” Gaspar said. “Based on our Aritao experience, it only takes four months from seedbed preparation up to harvest time. A farmer needed 5 kilograms of seeds per hectare and yielded 25 tons at P35 per kilo, or an equivalent of P875,000 income per hectare in four months.”
To further test the potentials of growing the Red Pinoy onion up north in Isabela, Gaspar’s team, likewise, proceeded to put up demonstration farms in the towns of San Mateo, Roxas and Gamu in the province.
“Sharing the same onion-growing technology and practices to farmers up north, we noticed that their performance yielded the same positive results. Like in Nueva Vizcaya Red Pinoy onions produced in Isabela went beyond the expected quality output.” Gaspar said.
Impressed by the productivity and quality of Isabela-grown onions, Rep. Ana Christina Go of the Second District of Isabela expressed support for the large-scale production of the high-yielding spice bulbs. The lady solon saw the potential of high-end onion-processing industry in her district. For this reason, Gaspar and his team foresee Cagayan Valley as a quality onion-growing region next to Nueva Ecija, said to be the Onion Capital of the Philippines.
Image credits: Leonardo Perante II