Opportunities and Challenges for the Development of West Nusa Tenggara Province as a Garlic Seed Production Center in Indonesia

The demand for garlic in Indonesia is estimated at 500,000 tons per year, but domestic production meets only 17.5% of this demand, or around 82,000 tons. One of the main challenges in developing garlic production is the limited availability of quality seeds. West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, one of Indonesia’s largest garlic-producing regions, has the potential to become a national garlic seed center. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of developing garlic seeds in the NTB Province as the national garlic seed center. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with stakeholders and a desk study, and then analyzed descriptively. NTB Province could potentially become a national garlic seed center due to its extensive highlands in Sembalun, Lombok Island, and Sambori, Sumbawa Island. Additionally, many garlic seed producers are willing to provide garlic seeds to meet national needs if the government demonstrates seriousness and focus in achieving self-sufficiency. Challenges in the field include farmers preferring to sell their fresh garlic to the market, resulting in a shortage of seed stock. Furthermore, pink root and white rot diseases have emerged and are spreading, especially in the Sembalun highlands, reducing yield quantity and quality. These two diseases are challenging to control as they are soil-borne and easily spread through irrigation water. In conclusion, NTB Province has a significant opportunity to become a national garlic seed center, but some challenges must be addressed.