In November 2022, Yayasan Bina Tani Sejahtera (YBTS) collaborated with PT. East West Seed Indonesia (Ewindo), the producer of a crop seed brand called Cap Panah Merah. This program was a part of Farmers Field Day in Prafimulya Village, Manokwari Regency, Western Papua. On this occasion, YBTS and Erwindo introduced the farming technology, True Shallot Seed (TSS), to the local shallot farmers.
TSS is one of the alternatives in shallot farming by using seeds. Tubers, commonly used by traditional farmers, had shorter shelf-time, so it is insufficient to meet the demand during the off-season. Compared to tubers, the use of TSS is deemed easier, cheaper, and more profitable. Moreover, TSS are crop seeds whose quality is ensured by their producers. It is also relatively easier to distribute and store TSS for extended periods.
Muhammad Ichsanudin, the product manager in PT. Ewindo added that the use of TSS could directly affect the operational cost and revenue of the farmers. “Farmers need around 1.5 tonnes of shallot tubers for a hectare of farmland, which costs them around DIR 75-120 million. If they use TSS, they would only need around 4-5 kilograms of seeds, with an estimated cost of around IDR 2-3 million, the same land size. There are some differences in the harvest result too. The harvest result from tubers usually only generates 10-15 tonnes per hectare, while those who use TSS seeds could produce up to 15-20,” he explained.
With the implementation of TSS technology, Ichsan hoped to see an increase in shallot production in Manokwari. If the harvest result keeps on increasing, Manokwari Regency can be one of the primary shallot producers in Indonesia.
TSS was a new technology yet to be widely used by local farmers. One of the participants, Abdul Majid, admitted that it was his first time using shallot seeds for farming. Previously, he mainly used his 80 x 30 meters of land to cultivate rice. Besides training, he received 500 grams of TSS from YBTS and Erwindo.
“I managed to harvest around one quintal of shallots. By selling it for IDR 40.000 per kilo, I could have IDR 4 million worth of profits,” he explained while discussing his success in cultivating shallots using TSS. His recent success made Abdul Majid want to continue diversifying his farmland by growing shallots using TSS.
Source:
http://cybex.pertanian.go.id/artikel/95177/budidaya-bawang-merah-teknologi-tss-true-shallot-seed/ (accessed on May 17th 2023)
