Onion producers from Nata, in the province of Cocle, will be trained in a new technology for growing onions that is being called cladding. This makes the product more durable and the harvesting area more profitable, officials said.
The training, which is part of the agricultural conference held by the Agricultural Development Bank (BDA) in the different onion producing regions of the country, will take place on September 21, the source said.
According to the manager of the BDA, Ricardo Solis, this technology allows producers to measure the quality of the onion, which is higher than for onions cultivated outdoors.
The cladding technique, which has already been successfully implemented in countries like Costa Rica and Guatemala, involves placing an elongated plastic film made of polyethylene over the fields were the onions are being grown.
According to the BDA, this technology will allow Panama's onions to have a greater tolerance to moisture during the rainy season.
The cladding creates a greenhouse effect. It suppresses weed growth, inhibits the passage of light and also decreases the use of herbicides on these crops.
Source: laestrella.com.pa