The Surakarta branch of the Bank of Indonesia has initiated the development of a "super" garlic variety in Karanganyar regency, in Central Java, in a bid to help reduce imports of the commodity. The new garlic variety is being developed in Kalisoro subdistrict in the regency's Tawangmangu district.
BI Surakarta Head Bandoe Widiarto said the super garlic was the result of an innovation in chromosome multiplication method by a garlic expert at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) and the Taruna Tani Maju farmers group in Tawangmangu.
“Two trials have been held. We are confident that this Super variety can reduce our dependence on imported garlic,” Bandoe said on Sunday.
Indonesia heavily relies on imported garlic, with the Agriculture Ministry's estimate showing 503,600 tons of consumption against 21,000 tons of local production in 2016.
Bandoe said the Super variety was developed from the existing Tawangmangu Baru variety, with the central bank facilitating the development of the Tawangmangu Super over the last two years.
Thejakartapost.com reports on Taruna Tani Maju chairman Bejo Supriyanto saying that 600 kilograms of Tawangmangu Baru garlic could produce 18 tons per hectare of fresh garlic, while the Tawangmangu Super could produce about 20 tons per hectare.
