Ilocos Norte Moves to Register Garlic White Variety

Laoag City (PNA) —To ensure proper protection of its original plant varieties, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte along with authorities from the Mariano Marcos State University and the Department of Agriculture are now working for the registration of the Ilocos white garlic variety as its own.

“Few weeks from now, we hope to get the result,” said Edwin Cariño of the Special Project Development Office of the Provincial Capitol on Monday.

Two years ago,Cariño said scientists here started the molecular characterization of the locally-grown Ilocos white gold and it is now about time that they register it as a property of Ilocos Norte.

Earlier, the Bureau of Plant Industry has acknowledged that there is no registered garlic variety yet in the country.

Aside from the Ilocos white gold, Ilocos Norte is also looking forward to other varieties such as the tanbolters variety for registration at the BPI.

“Result of previous trials based on varietal evaluation are now being prepared for its registration,” Cariño added.

As a major high value crop of the Ilocano farmers, Ilocos Norte remains as the Philippines top producer of garlic, supplying more than 75 percent of the country’s demand.

To date, about 2,130 hectares occupy garlic farm lots in the province with the municipality of Pasuquin as the biggest producer with an annual average yield of 2,382 metric tons. (PNA) FPV/LGA