GARLIC SURPLUS | Batanes governor defends garlic farmers for oversupply

September 12, 2022 , 05:10 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(September 12, 2022) – The agriculture department should not blame farmers for the oversupply of garlic in the northern Batanes province, its governor said on Monday as markets in the capital and other parts of the country reported shortage and price increases.

Marilou Cayco said the farm department should come up with ways to address the surplus of garlic in the province instead of faulting the farmers for the issue.

“Nagtatampo pa rin ako sa sinabi niya na parang kasalanan ng mga farmers ang overproduction dito sa Batanes,” Cayco said on CignalTV’s One PH channel’s program “One Balita Pilipinas”, referring to Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

“Sana po ay hindi nila yan sasabihin sa farmers, kasi imbes na ma-encourage sila magtanim, sana po ang gawin na lang ni Usec. Panganiban na tulungan kaming maibenta ang mga bawang para maibaba at mabawasan ang importasyon ng bawang.”

Last week, Cayco appealed to garlic traders to buy from the province which has an oversupply of 25 tons of garlic. The government has been importing garlic, which resulted in the reduction of bulk purchase by the agriculture department’s regional office in Cagayan Valley.

In a radio interview, Panganiban said farmers have not been “thinking” about whether there are markets for the crops they produce, resulting in oversupply.

In a congressional hearing last month, the agriculture department said there will be a looming garlic shortage in the second half of the year, as the 37,000 metric tons of supply is not enough to address the estimated demand of 73,146 metric tons for the period.

“Kaya ako nanawagan kasi nakita ko sa news na ang bawang ay shortage tayo. So sabi ko, bakit sinasabing shortage samantalang may surplus kami dito? Kaya nanawagan ako,” Cayco said.

There are still 20 tons of surplus garlic still left in Batanes, as they continue to negotiate with traders to address the oversupply, the governor said.

Former agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano, who is also the chairman emeritus of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), has said the oversupply of garlic and cabbage in the country should instead be blamed on the government’s importation policy and corruption, instead of the farmers’ alleged lack of foresight.

Mariano said, based on the department’s data, the country is producing an average of 4,817 metric tons while importing a much bigger 78,133 metric tons.

(MM)

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