The Department of Agriculture (DA) located in Central Luzon has announced plans to increase the onion production surface by 2,000 hectares in addition to the existing 4,000 hectares. The goal of this initiative is to alleviate the problem of a shortage of onions in the past and reduce the spread of armyworms through the introduction of additional production areas outside of conventional areas, specifically those in Nueva Ecija, the leading producer of onions in the region. Nueva Ecija, with a surface area of 10,000 hectares and is expected to add 300,000 tons of the supply of onions in the country until 2024.

DA Regional Director Eduardo L. Lapuz, Jr. stressed the need for diversifying the onion crop in other provinces, which will help strengthen the regional agricultural resilience. There has been efforts to expand onion farming up to Tarlac as well as Pampanga in which initiatives such as the development of high-value crops through the Programme has helped in the development cultivation of onions. The program, in particular, has helped to expand of onion cultivation in Bacolor, Pampanga, and Moncada, Tarlac, engaging farmers and local cooperatives to cultivate the yellow and red varieties of onions.

Furthermore it is worth noting that the DA is investing in infrastructure that will aid the storage of onions, which includes the P38 million cold storage facility located in Bataan which will improve post-harvest management as well as encouraging long-term production. Departmental investment in expanded areas that are totalling P10 million, was used for seed, training as well as fertilizer aid with the aim of achieving the same yield as the one from Nueva Ecija.

Source: sunstar.com.ph