In September last year, shortly before I left for Peru to attend the APEC Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, I planted four varieties of Abaca (musa textiles) in my farm in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.
The varieties were “Kutay-kutay” of Jolo, “Maguindanao” of Central Mindanao and the “Bongolan” and “Tangonan” of the Davao Region.
Yesterday, I had the great delight of seeing the suckers I planted 9 months ago now full grown Abaca ready to be harvest after another 9 months.
What struck me, however, was the outstanding growth performance of the “Kutay-kutay” variety of Jolo.
While the other varieties only had about 4 to 5 suckers, the “Kutay-kutay” had between 18 to 20 and a lot more were just waiting to pop out from underneath the soil.
I am pleased that I conducted this field trial in my farm because now, as Secretary of Agriculture, I will be able to tell farmers in my area what Abaca variety should be planted to produce more.
The government is promoting the planting of Abaca now, a plant which produces the strongest natural fibre in the world and is indigenous to the Philippines.
There is a shortage of Abaca now because government in the past failed to address the problems of the farmers including diseases which virtually decimated the industry.
With an earning potential of P140,000 per hectare per year even just as a secondary crop to coconut, coffee or cacao, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is promoting Abaca farming.
There are now moves to submit to Congress a draft bill which would support the Abaca industry by enacting a law which would make mandatory the use of Abaca fibre for our paper bills, security papers, birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, land titles, official documents and graduation diplomas to ensure support for the industry.
Abaca, along with coffee and cacao, are among the high value crops being pushed by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) because of high earning potentials.
(I took the first five photos of the Abaca I planted 9 months ago. The sixth photo was taken when I actually planted it last year and the other two photos were taken about 4 months later.)
More Stories
Practical Farming: Turn Used Plastic Containers Into Life-Time Laying Nests!
Super Bulb Onion Grown In Alamada, North Cotabato
Kapehan With Pareng Gob