| Kutsai or Chinese chives ( Alluim tuberasum Rottler ex Sprengle) is a perennial, herbaceous herb grown as condiment. |
| It is also called ganda (Bisaya), amput di amayyaw (Ifugao) and kuichai (Bangkok). It is believe to have originated in China and grown as early in 200 BC. It is now being cultivated in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, korea, Nepal, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States. |
| Kutsai forms dense clumps with the prominently spreading rhizomes. The bulbs are indistinct, narrowly ovoid. The leaves are distichous, linear, Flat, slightly kelled below, not folded lenghtwise, sub-erect or curve. It produces scapes which are harvested immature. |
| Both leaves and young scapes are used to flavor vegetables, meat, and seafoods. It can also be eaten raw, blanced or sauteed. Its medical uses include treatment of wounds, stomach ache, tumors, intestinal disorders, and scabies. |
| Kutsai is usually sold in Chinese restaurant and supermarkets. The market price of kutsai escapes ranges from P200- 400/kg. There are no available statistics on production. However. there are several growers in Laguna, batangas, Cagayan, Bulacan |
| Climatic and Soul Requirment |
| Kutsai can be grown from low to high elivation, with temperatures of 10- 37°C. The uptimum growing temperature, however, is 20-30°C. It can tolerate both drought and waterlogged conditions, but grows best with regular irrgation and good drainage. It can grow in any type of soil but the best is well- drained, deep loose soil with a pH of 5.5 - 6.5. |
| Kutsai is grown from seeds and divisions. The seeds requirement per hectare is 2- 3 kg. To produce seedlings, prepare seedbeds at any convinient size. About 200-3000 m2 nursery area is needed per hectare. Mix 2-3 kg/m2manure and 1kg/ m2 rice hull charcoal in the nursery area. Water before sowing. It is best to first soak the seeds overnight. Line sow at 5-7 cm dictance between rows and 200-300 seeds per linear meter. Cover with manure. mulch with rice hull, and water again. Provide temporarily shade such as nylon net,both during the wet and dry seasons. |
| For vigorous seedlings, apply foliar fertilizer or tea manure in water for two weeks. Tea manure is prepared by soaking manure in water for two days. The resulting mixture is then applied to the seddlings as fertilizer. The seedling are rady for transpalnting after 3 months after sowing. |
| Prepare the land thoroughly. Make 1.0-m wide beds at convinient lenght. Incorporate 10-20 t/ha animal manure and rice hull, if available. Use complete fertilizer (14-14-14) at the rate of 5-7 bags/ha |
| Make row perpendicular to row lenght at a distance of 20-30 cm. Uproot the seedlings and cut the leaves in half lenghtwise. cut long root as well. Transplant at a distance of 10-15 cm between seedlings. Mulch with riece straw, cogon grass with any available material. irrigate after transplanting. |
| After transplanting, maintan plants by regular irrigation, hand weeding , and application of manure or urea (46-0-0). The rate of fertilazation depends on the growth of the plants and size of the escapes. After three years, dig out the plants and replant in another area. There would be 5-10 times more palnting materials available by then. |
| Kutsai flowers 3-4 months after sowing. The best stage to harvest is when buds are not yet full and manure scapes are easyly to twist and detach. Harvest the escapes by twisting at the base. Scapes that are difficult to detach, with white, full buds are over mature.Harvest regularly every 2-3 days to promote plant growth. |
| After harvesting, sort the state according to size. Discard overmature scapes. Pack in 100 g bundles and let stand in water. Bundles may also be wrapped in the cellphone or plastic wrap. |
| Cost and Return Analysis Per Hectare |
A. Labor
Land preparation 3,500
Seddling Production 9,630
Maintenance @ 4 laborers/ha,
@ P 150/day 129,600
Sub-total 142,730
B. Materials
Seeds 18,750
Gasoline and oil 5,000
Miscellaneous 3,000
Sub-total 36,750 |
II. FIXED COST 18,063
Land Rental 5,000
Depreciation
5 pcs scythe (2 yrs) 63
5 pcs. hoe (3 yrs) 125
3 pcs. shovel (3 yrs) 75
2 knapsack sprayer (5 yrs) 800
Interest on loans at 20% int. p.a 12,000
TOTAL COSTS 197,543
GROSS INCOME 250,000-800,000
NET INCOME 52,457-602,457 |
| I. VARIABLE COSTS 147,600 |
A. Labor
Maintenance @ 4 laborers/ha 129,600
@ P150/day
B. Materials
Animal manure 10,000
Gasoline and oil 5,000
Miscellaneous 3,000
Sub-total 18,000 |
Land Rental 5,000
Depreciation
5 pcs. scythe (2 yrs) 63
5 pcs. hoe (3 yrs) 125
3 pcs. shovel ( 3 yrs) 75
2 knapsack sprayers ( 5 yrs) 800
Interest on loans at 20% int p.a 12,000 |
TOTAL COST 165,663
GROSS INCOME 250,000-800,000
NET INCOME 84,337-634,337
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With marketable yield of 5-8 t/ha at P50- 100/kg |
In : Agrikultyur