THE successful promotion and up-scaling of the Aglibut sweet tamarind variety in Pampanga and Central Luzon had prompted the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to pour P35 million into its research and development.
The research will focus on sour tamarind due to its tempting commercial prospects.
DOST is aiming at replicating part of the success of the Aglibut sweet tamarind program by increasing the number of sour tamarind trees in the region, increasing the yield of sour tamarind varieties, and augmenting the supply of raw materials for food processing.
Marita Carlos, director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), said that sour tamarind has considerable commercial possibilities in the market.
The program may even bridge the huge gap between local production and raw material requirements of the food processing sector.
Carlos said the sour variety is used as a raw material in processing the instant sour broth mix (sinigang mix).
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica Linn.) is an important fruit crop of mainly domestic uses.
Sour tamarind is traditionally used in Filipino cuisine as a souring agent or processed into candy when ripe.
Food processing companies in the country need around 8,000 metric tons of raw materials that are imported from other sources due to a lack of local supply.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that tamarind production in the Philippines was only 6,638 metric tons in 2018.
Sweet and Sour
PCAARRD Science Research Specialist Maria Cecilia S. Alaban said initiatives on the Aglibut sweet tamarind will not be displaced as both sweet and sour tamarind varieties will be prioritized in the program.
It could be remembered that the late Professor Andres Aglibut succeeded in developing a clonal seedling of sweet tamarind, later named the Aglibut sweet tamarind in his honor.
The Pampanga Agricultural College or PAC (now Pampanga State Agricultural University) in Magalang played a key role in the progress of the sweet tamarind as it was here where the late professor had developed the variety. Aglibut was a consultant at the PAC when his nephew, Dr. Fortunato Aglibut Battad, was the president.
The DOST is now capitalizing on both varieties of tamarind and the state university's years of expertise in the success of its research center for tamarind.
The Tamarind Research and Development (R&D) center established at the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) in Magalang, Pampanga, is under the Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (Nicer) program.
Nicer is a component of the DOST Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research and Development Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness.
The program is led by Dr. Virgilio D.M. Gonzales of PSAU and monitored by the DOST-PCAARRD. The program has three component projects each under the respective project leaders.
The genomic characterization for improvement of sour and sweet tamarind varieties is under Jacob Anderson C. Sanchez while the second project on the development of science and technology-based production management strategies is currently led by Dr. Virgilio DM. Gonzales. The last component on value chain analysis and marketing is under Dr. Emelita C. Kempis.
Alaban said that with P35-million funding, the Tamarind R&D Center aims to improve quality and production of sour and sweet tamarind through science and technology interventions.
The program was launched on October 2 at the PSAU and will be implemented for three years (2019-2022).
Since PSAU already initiated R&D activities for sweet tamarind following the registration of Aglibut Sweet to the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), more focus will be given to sour tamarind because it has huge potential in processing, according to Alaban.
Due to PSAU's initiatives, expertise and investments in the tamarind industry, the university was identified as the best institution where the Tamarind R&D Center should be established. Also, PSAU had previously undertaken research, development and extension activities to advance the development of the sweet tamarind industry.
PSAU has been successful in the promotion and up-scaling of 'Aglibut Sweet' in the Philippines as well as the development of food products such as wine and vinegar among others, however, not much has been done for sour tamarind.
Why Central Luzon?
Central Luzon, which includes Pampanga, is the second top producing region of tamarind next to the Ilocos Region.
In terms, of yield per tree, Central Luzon ranks first in the country.
To further improve statistics, the DOST is targeting key developments in the tamarind program.
The DOST's Tamarind R&D Center targets to increase the yield of tamarind by at least 30 percent from 3.36 metric tons per hectare (national average) to 4.36 metrics per hectare.
The program also aims to produce and distribute 10,000 grafted sour and sweet tamarind planting materials. Also included in the program is the expansion of the land area in Central Luzon dedicated to sour tamarind plantation by 100 hectares.
The agency hopes to increase raw materials in the market by 25 percent.