The Department of Agriculture, through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, continues to coordinate with the Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO) of Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro for the marketing of various agricultural commodities, including the locally produced garlic.

However, recent communication with the MAO revealed that the unsold garlic from the island will be used for the upcoming planting season.

The stocks will be distributed for the expansion of garlic production in the province.

To date, 27 hectares of farmland in Lubang are allotted for garlic production, with 150 metric tons yield from 94 garlic growers.

The MAO also reported a slight dip in production of garlic as growers “prefer to plant onion, which sells at P100/kilo in the market”.

Last week, DA-AMAS assisted in the delivery and market matching of 600 kilograms of garlic produced by the Itbayat Garlic Producers Association of Batanes.

As the marketing arm of the Department, DA-AMAS offers market information, market linkage and product promotion, agribusiness promotion, and agribusiness development services.

For assistance, the DA-AMAS can be reached through telephone numbers (632) 8920.2216, 8920.4072-73, 8920.4077, and 8926.8203 or email at amas@da.gov.ph.

More information can also be found through these links: http://agribusiness.da.gov.ph/ and https://www.ekadiwa.da.gov.ph/. (Adora D. Rodriguez, DA-AFID)