THE talong (eggplant) industry for which Villasis is famous for, is not affected by the El Niño phenomenon, according to the town’s Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO).

Roberto Padilla, MAO’S municipal high-value crops coordinator, said in an interview that even during El Niño phenomenon in the past, their harvest remains good because of the presence of deep wells in the fields.

This makes planting of eggplants continuous, he said.

During rainy season, eggplant farmers would plant the crop near the river because of the better kind of soil that makes water submerge easily, Padilla said.

After planting rice, eggplant farmers go to the fields to plant eggplants, a year-round routine, he added.

“Hangga’t may nasusupsop po na tubig, tuloy ang produksyon,” he said.

But the farmers encounter problem with the farmgate price of talong that remains low for a long period. He cited last month’s price that increased only once. prompting others to shift to other crops for better return on their costs of farm inputs and labor.

Average farmgate price of talong in the past was P15-P20 per kilo when cost of inputs and labor had not increased but now it’s P30, Padilla shared.

But there was a time that farmgate price was P80, a jackpot for farmers, when a kilo of talong was sold in the market for  P120, he said.

A kilo of eggplants is sold in the markets today for P80. But farm gate price is between P50-P55 a kilo, he said.

Villasis is known for long purple eggplant variety ideally cooked for tortang talong.

The town has about 400 hectares devoted for talong plantation.

Each hectare yields an average of 20-25 metric tons annually. Every five days, a farmer can harvest talong, Padilla said. (Eva Visperas)

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