Vegetable Production in Ilocos Sur

Abstract

The study covered the thirteen municipalities of Ilocos Sur namely: San Esteban, Narvacan, Sta.Maria, San Ildefonso, Sto.Domingo, Magsingal, San Juan, Sta.Catalina, San Vicente, Sinai!, Vigan, Caoayan, and Cabugao. It utilized the descriptive method of research with the aid of a questionnaire, supplemented bypersonal interviews. Vegetabte producers mostly belonged to 40-49 and 50-59 age brackets and attained secondary and tertiary education. Only a few had trainings and seminars. Gas-fed water pump-was the most commonly used farm equipment. Majority owned the lands they were tilling and farm equipments they were using. Only a few had loans. Other livelihood engagements include raising other crops, retail business, carpentry, teaching, driving and weaving. Most vegetable farmers had a land area of 1,000 to 1,500 m. The vegetables produced were onions, tomato, eggplants, cauliflower, mungo, cabbage, pepper, okra, ampa/aya, squash, garlic, patola, and pechay. Production expense was concentrated mostly in landpreparation and least in transplanting, marketingand hauling. The topjive (5) vegetables with highest rate of return were onion, eggplant, mungo, okra and ampalaya. On the whole, all the vegetables studied had remarkable return on investment. Some of the soil treatments are · comparatively expensive. Vegetable growers should check the optimum cost profit possibilities before using any treatment. The vegetable growers should be organized so that they can strongly assert their rights and privileges. The government should provide more trainings and seminar workshops to the vegetable producers so that they will be updated with the new.trends and techniques in the farm and in selling their products; Further studies especially on gender involvement in vegetable production should be conducted. With the high percentage ofreturn on investment of the vegetable producers, more Ilocanos should engage in vegetable production so that their economic condition be uplifted.