IBA, Zambales. — This province is evolving into "sweet
tamarind country".
Paving the way to this eventuality is a government program
that commercializes a sweet tamarind variety developed after a decade of
research work by the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) in Magalang, Pampanga.
The variety has been named Aglibut Sweet, after the late
Prof. Andres Aglibut of the University of the Philippines Los Bańos (UPLB), a
noted agricultural engineer. Aglibut had also served as consultant of various
government institutions, among them PAC and Mountain State Agricultural College
(MSAC, now Benguet State University) in La Trinidad, Benguet.
The commercialization of Aglibut Sweet in Zambales was made
possible through the efforts of former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and PAC, with
funding support from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural
Research (DA-BAR) headed by director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.
The project is being implemented by the Da-Regional Field
Unit-3, DA-Central Luzon Integrated Agricultural Research Center, and local
government units of Zambales. The multi-campus Ramon Magsaysay Technological
University in Zambales was also tapped to promote the sweet tamarind.
Approved by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) for
commercial production, Aglibut Sweet is comparable to the Bangkok (Thailand)
variety, which is internationally known for its sweetness.
PAC embarked on Aglibut Sweet’s commercialization in Zambales
in 2006. This central Luzon province has been identified as ideal for tamarind
planting because of its semi-arid lands, although tamarind can also grow well in
any type of soil and agro-climatic condition.
PAC reported that more than 700 Zambaleńos, mostly farmers,
have benefited from the project, As of 2007, about 4,500 seedlings of sweet
tamarind had been provided and planted in farms and backyards in the province.
Under the project, PAC trained and provided technical support
to interested farmers and tamarind growers. Loans payable in one year in three
installments were also provided to selected farmers-beneficiaries.
PAC reported that the project has aroused the interest of
local executives on the potentials of sweet tamarind. The majority of the towns
in Zambales are planning to establish their respective scion groves and to
eventually venture into seedling production for their local needs.
"Tamarind has a huge market potential in the Philippines because the country
is continuously importing it to meet domestic demand," PAC concluded.
