Tapin's shallot development constrained by seed management

Rantau, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Post-harvest seed management is an obstacle to the development of shallot in Tapin District, South Kalimantan.

Head of Tapin Agriculture Agency Wagimin in Rantau on Sunday admitted that the harvest the was prepared for seedlings in the shallot storage warehouse was rotten in the process.

"Our farmers are still unable to manage the seeds. The yields that stored for seedlings were always crumbled or rotten because the time for the crop is annual," he said.

Meanwhile, to grow shallots, farmers still depend on the program, thus the potential land cannot be planted optimally. This is because cultivating shallot needs a large capital.

"Thing that is burdensome for farmers is the initial capital. One hectare of land requires one ton of seeds. Let's just say that the cheapest is Rp25 thousand per kg, on average Rp47 million is needed for seedlings, not include fertilizer and land processing. The government only helps seedlings," he said.

He pointed out that the forerunner of shallot in South Kalimantan is Tapin, so it is hoped that the center of shallot production is in Tapin.

"We are struggling to develop shallot. We are proposing to the Ministry of Agriculture for 100 hectares. We are very enthusiastic. Insya Allah, we will meet director-general of horticulture with the Regent to ask for direction for the development of shallot in Tapin," he said.

Durirng the first harvest in 2021 on Wednesday (May 21) on a four-hectare land in Shabah Village, Bungur Sub-district, with the Regent, the productivity was quite good. From planting one ton of seeds per hectare had produced an average of 8.4 tonnes.