GOING ORGANIC BASED IN ONION PRODUCTION: TESTING AND PROMOTION VIA S & T BASED DEMO FARMS IN TWO SELECTED ONION GROWING MUNICIPALITIES IN NUEVA ECIJA

Fe L.. Porciuncula, Jonathan.L. Galindez, Melchor P. Pascua and Samuel M. Claus

Abstract

The project showcases environment friendly organic-based onion production by incorporating S&T interventions and technologies from the CLSU RM-CARES to reduce production cost and to cope with the high prices of inorganic fertilizer and pesticides generally used in conventional onion production. The scope of the project includes production of onion using appropriate varieties, organic fertilizers (solid and foliar) and microbials (Trichoderma spp. from carabao manure as biofertilizer). The project aims to:a) promote organic-based onion production, b)establish demo farms on onion production showcasing environment friendly S&T interventions that will help reduce production costs and produce safe onion; andc) provide an avenue for interaction and learning among the proponents and farmers in the locality or in nearby municipalities.

Separate experiment on pure organic fertilizer and combination of inorganic and organic fertilizer were established on the first year of project implementation .Combination of inorganic and organic fertilizer at the ratio of 50%:50% and 25%:75% produced similar yield of 7t/ha. Promising result of the experiment was established at the farmer’s field in Muñoz during the second year, two farmer cooperators were selected. One farmer used the yellow granex while the other one used the red variety. Each farmer allotted 500m2 for the demo, 250 m2 for research manage and 250 m2 for the farmers practice. Yield showed that research managed obtained higher yield (1512.5 kg) compared to the yield of farmer’s practiced (1,400.00 kg). In terms of expenses, a higher expense (PhP 4,427.34) was incurred from the research managed while farmer’s practiced expenses are only PhP 3,744.15. However, higher net income (PhP 10,697.66) was realized from research managed plot. On the third year of project implementation, ten onion farmer cooperators from Muñoz and San Jose City were selected. Each cooperators allotted 500 m2area for the trial. Yield obtained ranged from 90kg to 916kg with a net income raging from PhP3,118.22to PhP20,260.61. The project was extended for one year. During this period 20 farmer cooperators from Muñoz, San Jose City, Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija and Umingan, Pangasinan were selected for demo trial, allotting 1000 m2 each. Performance of demo trial from the 20 cooperators obtained a net income ranging from Php 300.00 to Php 280,000.00.

During the period, three field days were conducted, one at CLSU and two at the farmers field in Brgy. Calabalabaan, Munoz and Brgy. Tabulac, San Jose City. After becoming co- operators, all of them gave positive perceptions about organic farming and the project in general.

To them, organic farming requires less cost, improves the condition of the soil, helps improve the lives of farmers due to better farm income, good for the health of consumers, and is environment friendly. Result showed a positive impact of the project to the farmer co-operators.

Keywords: organic-based, cooperators, conventional, demo-trial, intervention