Philippines seek market for Mindoro garlic

Farmers from Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro province have sold almost 70 tons of local garlic h…

Farmers from Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro province have sold almost 70 tons of local garlic harvested this year in only a matter of days. This could be a windfall for the more than 100 garlic growers in Lubang, compared with their earnings in previous years, said Tony Gerundio, Department of Agriculture (DA) director in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region: “Maybe [buyers just] didn’t know that garlic is being produced [in Lubang]. It’s just a matter of the right information dissemination.”

Gerundio told reporters that only about four tons of garlic were left from the harvests after traders, over the last couple of days, began calling to buy directly from Lubang farmers. He added that the Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas region had also requested to buy six tons of garlic for planting in their region.

While the DA said there was no oversupply of local garlic, chef and Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement founder Jam Melchor last week appealed on social media to help Lubang farmers by buying their harvest.

Gerundio said garlic is a primary crop on Lubang Island, harvested only once a year usually in May. Small- to medium-sized garlic bulbs are sold for P60 to P80 a kilogram while the larger bulbs are sold for P100 per kilo.

Locally produced garlic makes up only 6 percent of the country’s demand for consumption or planting. The rest is imported from China, Taiwan and India.