According to a report developed by the Institute of Rural Development, there has been an increase in the amount of white garlic planted over the previous season, indicating that this season's production would be more diverse. Marcelo Costa, head of the Agribusiness, stressed the efforts made by the Province so producers could improve their profits.
"Information management is strategic when it comes to marketing the production, that's why we have to highlight the decision made by the provincial government to allocate funds to this survey and making it free for producers," said the head of Agribusiness, in the presentation of the report at the Government House.
According to the report, there are 8,370 hectares devoted to garlic this season, i.e. 14% or 1,331 hectares less than in the previous cycle. The technicians of the Institute of Rural Development stated that, "the surface had decreased because producers are leaning for a better quality product."
Acreage
Garlic crops represent 66% of all the vegetables grown in the province. Broken down by variety, the surface area devoted to white and early white garlic increased over the previous season and the surface area devoted to red and purple garlic decreased. In that order, red garlic ranked first place with 4,146 hectares and 49% of the total surface devoted to garlic, while purple garlic reached 2,997 hectares and accounted for 36% of the total surface.
Creoles white garlic has a total of 722 hectares throughout the province and its acreage increased over the previous season reversing the downward trend experienced during the last decade. The area of Creole white garlic accounts for 9% of the total.
In fact, the only vegetables that had an increase in surface were the white garlic and the white early variety, the area devoted to the remaining vegetables (carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, peas, red garlic and purple garlic, among the most important) decreased.
According to the survey, the total area devoted to winter vegetables in Mendoza amounts to 12,626 hectares, 16% less when compared to the 2014 season but consistent with its historical average.
In this context, the main cultivated species are: garlic, carrot, and early onions, which together account for 82% of the total winter crop surface.
The central area (Maipú, Guaymallén, and Luján de Cuyo) and the Uco Valley (San Carlos, Tupungato, Tunuyán) continue to lead Mendoza's horticultural area with 76% of the total hectares in the province. While Maipú, San Carlos, Tupungato and Lavalle account for 71% of the provincial winter vegetable surface.
The Institute of Rural Development (IDR), through its Horticultural Development area, developed Mendoza’s Winter Horticultural Acreage Estimate. This organization, which is part of the Ministry of Agro Industry and Technology, works on the production of strategic information for the productive sector. The data can be found at http://www.idr.org.ar/
Source: dariouno.com.ar