Department of Agriculture to expand adlai production
The Department of Agriculture plans to expand its adlai seed production a.k.a. Jobs Tears or Chinese barley. This, after seeing an increase in demand for adlai grits, adlai seeds and even adlay value-added food especially in Northern Mindanao.
The DA-Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC), located in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, currently maintains a two-hectare adlay seed production area aimed to further promote, distribute, and supply adlay grits and seeds to interested adlay farmers in the region this year.
Adlai varieties available in the seed production include Ginampay, Gulian, Kiboa, Tapol (glutinous) and dwarf.
Planted in June this year, Gulian, Ginampay, and Tapol varieties will be harvested in November while Kiboa in October.
According to NMACLRC, farmers preferred the adlay dwarf variety due to its shorter months of maturity of four to five months versus the six to eight months maturity of other varieties.
The dwarf variety also has one to 1.5 meters height versus the other varieties with three- to four-meter height that results in lodging problems. NMACLRC sells adlay seeds at P200 per kilo and milled adlay grits at P180 per kilo.
