Ilocos Region Ramps Up Mung Bean Production to Meet International Demand

In Caba, La Union, a surge in demand for mung beans (locally known as “galog” or “balatong”) in Denmark has led to increased production efforts by local farmers, particularly the San Fermin Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (San Fermin ARB). This cooperative, along with others, plays a crucial role in cultivating and supplying mung beans. The bulk of their produce is acquired by the ISEED Marketing Cooperative in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, for export to Denmark, where a growing Asian population, including Filipinos living and working there, primarily consumes these exports.

The Ilocos Region, as reported by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), is the leading producer of mung bean in the Philippines, contributing a significant 33.5% to the nation’s total production. To meet increasing demands, Eduardo Balanag, the manager of San Fermin ARB, is seeking more collaborative efforts with local farmers. They encourage farmers to sell high-quality mung bean produce to them, offering a fair price of P25 per 250 grams, as per their official Facebook page.

Mung beans are valued not only for their ease of cultivation, humorously referred to by Balanag as a “lazy person’s crop” due to minimal maintenance post-sowing, but also for their nutritional value. As a rich source of protein, essential amino acids, antioxidants, and nutrients, mung beans contribute to reducing blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels, and the risk of heart disease. They are a staple in the Filipino diet, particularly during the rainy season, and serve as an excellent crop for rotation with rice or corn, enhancing yield through nitrogen fixation in the soil.

Despite the benefits and growing demand, Balanag notes a challenge in persuading more farmers to switch to mung bean farming. However, the San Fermin ARB has managed to expand its market reach within the Ilocos Region and even as far as Tanza, Cavite, following a P3.3 million grant from the DA-PRDP​​.