DA official pushes more investments in abaca

The Department of Agriculture (DA) must encourage the expansion of existing abaca plantations and encourage local entrepreneurs to pour in more capital for the production of finished abaca products if the government wants to make abaca a lucrative source of foreign exchange, Director Alicia Ilaga of the DA-Biotechnology Program Office, said yesterday.

Ilaga said the DA must rationalize the abaca industry and encourage industry players to go into more value-added manufacturing instead of just being a supplier of raw abaca fiber. She said a key to the expansion and development of the abaca industry is the development of virus-resistant abaca varieties.

By moving to the manufacture of natural fibers, abaca stakeholders could earn a windfall by using abundant labor in Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, Ilaga said.

Making natural fibers would be on top of the current production of rope, pulp and fibers.

Ilaga pointed out that in 2005, abaca was cultivated only in 135,958 hectares in several regions. Based on the total agricultural area of 11.93 million hectares from 1970 to 2005, the hectarage planted to abaca is a puny 1.25 percent.

Data further show, that abaca growth in Bicol on average expanded by a paltry 1.8 percent, with the biggest growth from 1996 to 2005.

Abaca area expansion in the Bicol region averaged 36.7 percent yearly, higher than Eastern Visayas’s 30 percent.

But because of infestation by the buncy top virus, production on the Bicol region dropped by 1.7 percent compared to Eastern Visayas’ production which increased almost six percent.

Another factor that prevents the rapid expansion of growth in yield in Bicol is the low price of abaca. Farmers opt not to harvest the fiber when the price is low.

In contrast, Eastern Visayas farmers enjoy higher prices, motivating them to plant more abaca.

Abaca fiber production from 1996 to 2005 averaged only 69,110 metric tons (MT).

Eastern Visayas actually took the leader in abaca fiber production during those years, accounting for 40 percent of output. Bicol followed with 29.4 percent.

FIDA, in collaboration with state colleges and universities (SCUs), and local government units (LGUs) is working on disease control regulations.

They also encourage farmers and the private sector to battle the diseases.

Farmers’ Field Schools (FFS) disseminate biological control strategies and the tools needed.

One important tool developed is a disease map that serves as a guide in assessing and analyzing the spread of the disease.

Disease surveillance and eradication in severely affected abaca areas were undertaken by FIDA technicians by cutting down infected plants, spraying insecticides and applying glyphosate, a herbicide that kills remaining abaca mats.

In spite of all the efforts to prevent the further outbreak of disease, such measures cannot be sustained with limited government resources and field workers. – Marianne Go