The pilot plantation of tulips in Huinganco has already shown its first flowers and, with this, the commitment to introduce an activity that contributes to diversify the production matrix from northern Neuquén. The trial, designed to test the crop's performance in the area, is progressing well and generating interest in the local community.
Promoted by the provincial government, through the SME-ADENEU Center and Provincial Nursery Directorate, and with the accompaniment of the municipality, the initiative was developed in a demonstration plot of the Provincial Nursery. There, the plants were planted 5.000 bulbs corresponding to four varieties, with the aim of evaluating flowering and transferring knowledge to entrepreneurs, producers and technicians in the area.
An essay that flourishes in northern Neuquén
According to technical monitoring, the vast majority of bulbs entered full bloom with the arrival of October. The team in charge highlights that the campaign was marked by a milder winter with less snow, a condition that brought forward the time of flower opening, without diminishing the quality of the crop.
The commitment of the staff of the Provincial Nursery and the municipality was key to sustaining the work of management, from implantation in May until the flowering stage, with irrigation, control and monitoring tasks that favored the development of the trial.
Training and technical support
The agricultural engineer Sebastian Nunez, advisor to the SME-ADENEU Center, valued that the project is allowing learn on the ground on the management of tulips in the Neuquén River Valley, combining productive testing with technical training opportunities for the local community.
At the beginning of October a training day which brought together more than 50 participants, both in person and via Zoom. The content was provided by Second Bobadilla, an agricultural engineer from INTA Esquel, who shared recommendations on crop management, health, bulb multiplication, and harvest criteria.
Productive and tourism objectives
From the Undersecretariat of Production, Marcelo Zúñiga He highlighted the political decision to highlight the attractions of the Upper Neuquén, integrating this floriculture experience with infrastructure improvements and the boost to tourismIn Huinganco, known as the Neuquén Garden, the initiative engages with a local identity linked to the forest and forestry education.
The provincial official recalled milestones of the place, such as the creation of the first communal forest of the country and the implementation of the first primary school with a forestry orientation from Neuquén, located in Charra Ruca, elements that accompany the current push towards new productive alternatives.
What is the tulip production cycle?
The tulip blooms once a year In the southern hemisphere, usually in mid-October. The bulbs are planted in May, they go through the dormant period during the winter and, once flowering is complete, the bulbs are harvested in December.
- Bulb planting in May and winter dormancy.
- Flowering around mid-October, depending on weather conditions.
- Harvesting bulbs in December and sorting them by caliber.
After harvesting, the bulbs are divided among those who are replanted for fattening and those that are intended for commercial flowering, with access to major urban centers. This scheme allows for the projection of flower volume and quality, while laying the foundation for a local value chain.
With most bulbs flowering, the test In Huinganco, it confirms its potential to generate knowledge, train new actors, and open a complementary avenue for productive and tourism development in northern Neuquén.
