10,000 hectares eyed for abaca planting in Cam. Sur

10,000 hectares eyed for abaca planting in Cam. Sur By MELODY M. AGUIBA

A 10,000-hectare planting of abaca requiring P400 million in investment is eyed in Camarines Sur in an aim to revive the Bicol Region’s long-ago glory in abaca production and meet huge demand for abaca-made specialty products in Europe.

Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte Jr. said the province has already put up a one-hectare nursery in Presentacion, Caramoan, Camarines Sur that is producing abaca seedlings good for 1,500 hectares.

A tie-up with funding agencies and the private sector is firming up planting of the seedlings on identified land that will help beef up the province’s production of abaca or "Manila hemp."

"Bicol used to be the biggest producer of abaca in the Philippines. Nobody can deny its abaca is number one — clean, good quality pulp," said Villafuerte in an interview.

Camarines Sur has already identified 4,000 hectares of land for abaca while an agreement with private companies for the actual planting may subsequently be signed. Production cost for per hectare is placed at about P40,000.

Abaca product exporter Isarog Pulp and Paper Co. is interested in leasing government land for the planting.

Among prospective markets, the European market for synthetic raw materials needing more environment-friendly substitute is eyed for the abaca production.

"There’s a big demand (for abaca products reaching to as much as) 650,000 metric tons in the market per year. The automotive industry has a big demand for it. Fiber glass is being replaced with indigenous materials," Villafuerte said.

Daimler Chrysler is an immediate market for the crop as the company has already been using cannabis sativa hemp in its Canadian and European manufacturing facilities. Daimler Chrysler has already accepted the country’s abaca for use in the exterior lining or to line the chassis of Mercedes Benz and Plymouth after scientific testing of the crop was conducted by the Leyte State University.

Daimler Chrysler authorities said the local abaca has the strength equal to fiber glass and is even light-weight and recyclable.

10,000 hectares eyed for

abaca planting in Cam. Sur

(Cont’d from page B-1)

Camarines Sur is confident of fighting abaca disease (mosaic virus, bractmosaic, bunchy-top) which has decimated its abaca plantations with a sanitized abaca planting program including abaca’s non-intercropping with corn which is one source of the disease.

As of 2001, total abaca area in the Bicol region was 45,925 hectares (a sizable part of a total 107,292 hectares of total Philippine abaca area) of which 26,020 hectares of were affected by disease.

The Philippines earns an average of .5 million from abaca products yearly (as of 1993 to 2002) with raw fibers taking up a big part of the volume reaching to 17,137 metric tons (MT) worth .177 million.

Other manufacture exports are abaca pulp, 13, 610 MT, .197 million; abaca cordage, ropes, and twines, 7,838 MT, .077 million; yarns and fabrics, 7,380; and fibercrafts, .786 million.

Export markets are the UK, Japan, US, France, Singapore, and other European countries.

Other markets for the abaca expansion are specialty currency paper as abaca is now used on Philippine bills after Japan initiated its use on its paper money.

Abaca pulp is also used as material for electrolytic (condenser) paper, tea bags, coffee filter, meat and sausage casings, cable insulation paper, adhesive tape paper, lens tissue, mimeograph stencil base tissue, carbonizing tissue, cigarette paper, vacuum cleaner bag, abrasive base paper, weatherproof bristol, and high-grade decorative paper.

There are 70,000 farmers that depend on abaca for their livelihood while 18 companies are licensed for its export.

Other abaca-producing provinces in the country are Southern Catanduanes, Leyte, Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur, Suly, Davao del Sur, Samar, and Sorsogon.

http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/02/19/BSNS2006021956656.html