Mysterious disease hounding P’sinan onion industry

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan — A mysterious disease threatens to kill the onion industry in this top onion-producing town of Pangasinan.

In fact, the disease has caused a decline in the Bayambang farmers’ produce by as much as 30 percent, resulting in some P39-million losses this year.

Mayor Leocadio de Vera Jr. told The STAR that the national government should address this problem soonest to alleviate the plight of farmers growing onions in about 650 hectares in 30 of the town’s 66 barangays.

The disease, which the farmers describe as "bulb rot," affects the red creole and yellow granics onion varieties.

Local farmers used to harvest about 10 tons of onions per hectare, but this has dramatically declined by as much as 30 percent.

Onions produced here reach Metro Manila, Bicol, and Samar. The local onion industry used to generate as much P130 million in revenue.

Because of less production but higher demand, onions now fetch higher prices and only farmers with big capital can still replant.

The farmgate price of onions has increased from P10 to P30 per kilo because of lack of supply but high demand, De Vera said.

"Para silang naka-jackpot pero naaawa ako sa mga magsasaka na tama lang sa isang taniman ang kanilang kaya at ’yung iba nagkautang pa (It looks like the traders have hit the jackpot but I pity the farmers who can only afford one planting and others who even went into debt)," De Vera said.

Municipal agriculturist Delfin Bravo said they noticed the mysterious disease as early as the year 2000.

But this year, the farmers are worse-hit, he said.

Municipal officials have invited the Bureau of Plant Industry and the National Crop Protection Center, which, in turn, conducted an Integrated Pest Management Farmers’ Field on School.

Based on initial findings, the disease is also called purple blots or anthracnose, Bravo said.

He said local farmers are fed up with the frequent visits of agriculture officials because they want an end to their problem soonest.

"Sawa na kami sa puro reports (We are fed up with purely reports)," Bravo quoted the farmers as saying.

Agriculture officials suspect that rain has something to do with the disease since it affects the soil’s acidity.

Another factor is the depletion of soil nutrients, prompting authorities to suggest that farmers stop planting for about five years in the same area.

But this suggestion was met with protest because farmers rely solely on onion cultivation for their livelihood, De Vera said.

Bravo, though, is optimistic that a monthly integrated pest management training in the four major onion-producing barangays — San Gabriel, Manambong Parte, Manambong Sur, and Manambong Norte — would yield positive results.

From seedling to harvesting, onions take about 120 days, but for direct seeding, it takes 90 to 100 days for the yellow variety and 100 to 110 days for the red kind.