By Manny Piñol
Growing international market demand for the world’s strongest natural fiber produced from Abaca (musa textiles) or the Manila Hemp has spurred renewed interest in a plant which grows naturally in the Philippines.
The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PHILFIDA), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, is leading the revival of an industry which was almost wiped out because of diseases and lack of government support years back.
The PHILFIDA said that with an average production of 4 metric tons per hectare, the country needs to develop an additional 54,000 hectares of Abaca farms all over the country to fill up the current shortage.
The demand is growing as more industrial uses for the world’s natural fiber is increasing and with good prices ranging from P60 to P120 per kilo depending on the quality, the Filipino Abaca farmers are responding.
Abaca fiber’s use has expanded from just cordage and ropes and textiles to the production of special papers for paper bills like the Japanese Yen, tea bags and car insulators and dashboards.
Abaca is endemic to the Philippines but countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador and Indonesia were able to obtain planting materials and are currently developing their natural fiber industry.
Still, the Philippines dominates the Abaca market supply an estimated 90% of the world demand.
For several years, however, the Abaca industry went into a slump as farms were hit by diseases and government hardly made a move to support the farmers.
The rehabilitation of Abaca farms was started in Sogod, Southern Leyte right after the assumption of President Rody Duterte with an initial fund of P50-M for the establishment of nurseries which produce healthy planting materials.
Production loans for Abaca farmers are now available through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), an agency under the DA, amounting to at least P15,000 per hectare.
Abaca farmers are also encouraged to plant secondary crops like Cacao, Coffee, Black Pepper and industrial tree species like Falcata and Gmelina to increase their income.
Coconut, rubber and fruit tree farmers are also taught how to plant Abaca in between rows to add more to their earnings.
PHILFIDA expects to cover the 54,000-hectares needed to produce more Abaca fiber in the next five years.
(Photos of the field activity marking the end of the two-day Abaca Seminar in Kidapawan City this weekend were taken by
Mayette
Mayette
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