Danilo Cawagdan of Bagabag, Nueva Viscaya is among the many onion farmers reaping the benefits of off-season production.

Most onion farmers in Nueva Viscaya plant thier seeds in December to avoid the rains and typhoons. However, anticipating that onion harvests during lean months were likely to command higher prices, Cawagdan planted in between July and August last year. The risks were clear, and he had to watch his onions 24/7 covering them with plastic when rains came and removing the cover when the heat was suffocating.

The result: He sold at a high of P90 per kilo when he harvested in December. This is close to triple of the regular season farm gate price that is in the range of P30 to P34.

Cawagdan is confident that his income from off-season production for this year will be as high.

Like many others in surrounding communities, he plants in small plots because off-season production for onion is still relatively new.

The experience of Cawagdan attests to the potentials of off-season production. This is one of the findings of the joint monitoring of onion production areas done on November 7-11, 2022 by the following: High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) now under the dynamic leadership of Director Gerald Glenn F. Panganiban, Ph.D.; HVCDP RFO II; Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS); Agri Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD); Plant Quarantine Service of RFO II; and Nueva Vizcaya Experiment Station (NVES).

Source: VAL C. Coca – HVCDP RFO II and Christian L. Almirez – HVCDP CO