Wetlands

http://www.mrcmekong.org/MRC_news/press04/19-jul-04.htm
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/press/coverage/pdf/FAO_IUCN_IWMI_wr30_eng.pdf#search=%22Stoeng%20Treng%20cambodia%20wetlands%20management%20iucn%22

Abaca exports keeps rising

May.04.06 6:00PM Philippine abaca exports grew by 21% to %80m last year from $66m posted in 2004, Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) reported.
Boosted abaca export volume to 22m metric tons, 18% better than the previous year.
The Philippines is the world's only exporter and main supllier of abaca pulp that has been used to manufacture security and currency papers, cigarette filters, meat and tea casings, medical materials, and high-grade non-woven materials.
FIDA said the discovery of new applications for the product would further improve the country's abaca exports. The Philippine abaca pulp is now being used for composite panels of luxury cars - other than as filter and food casings.
The combined demand in two of the world's biggest consumers, Japan and China, surged by 38%. The volume of export to Japan increased to 5.3m metric tons, while shipment to China rose to 464,000 metric tons.
"There is growing demand especially for our abaca pulp," said Alberto Fenix Jr., president of NewTech Pulp Inc., "but the local supply has not been sufficient."
The government has drawn plans to support abaca companies' upgrading of their production facilities in order to raise value-added in the use of the indigenous product which the Philippines has been exporting in raw form.

*Source: DTI - Philippine Business Report
http://www.sme.com.ph/sme-news/news.php?newsid=162

Investment Opportunities in Mindanao

Go to this site:

http://202.137.113.51:1091/northern%20mindanao.pdf

Roadmap to boost production of abaca fiber-based products

By Jenny Molbog-Mendoza

TO BOOST production and marketing of abaca fiber-based products for both the domestic and export markets, the Fiber Industry Development Authority (Fida) drafted recently a Mindanao-wide roadmap for the industry.

Fida office in Butuan City spearheaded the drafting of the roadmap.

"Since the biggest abaca plantations in Mindanao are found in Caraga region, which is still part of Fida-Butuan, sila na ang inatasan na gumawa ng roadmap, but of course with the help of other Fida offices in the region. The biggest plantations are located in Surigao and Agusan," said Fida 11 Regional Director Victorino Agnes.

Based on the roadmap, the island envisions increasing the production of quality abaca fibers from 17,190 metric tons in 2002 to 30,317 metric tons in 2008, and 46,406 metric tons in 2013, thereby increasing the market share from 27.37 percent in 2002 to 33.33 percent in 2008 and 50 percent in 2013.

As per latest data of Fida, the Philippines remains to enjoy the lead in supplying 84 percent or an average of 66,227 metric tons of the world's requirement for abaca fibers and abaca-based products, of which 18,062 metric tons or an average of 27.2 percent is contributed by Mindanao.

To date, about 30,888 hectares of land throughout Mindanao are being planted to abaca, directly involving some 19,152 farm-families or at an average ratio between abaca farm area and farm-family of 1.45:1.

Agnes said the biggest pulping plant in the world is found in Mindanao, particularly in Iligan, with the rated capacity of 60 metric tons per day. It imports abaca fibers from Ecuador at an annual average of 414.54 metric tons.

To support these, Fida-Mindanao is adopting the following initiatives: acquisition of 967 units of mobile abaca spindle stripping machines before the end of 2013; intercropping other crops with abaca; encouraging local government units (LGUs) to put up their own abaca nurseries; and strengthening existing farmers' cooperatives.

"If wala pang coop, we are organizing them to have one. With the collaborative efforts of all the Fida offices in Mindanao and strong support of LGUs, magagawa natin ang ating targets," Agnes said.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2005/05/12/bus/roadmap.to.boost.production.of.
abaca.fiber.based.products.html

Iligan develops abaca industry under 'one town, one product' project

by Nerisa C. Koppin

Cagayan de Oro City (20 January) -- THE development of the abaca industry has been identified as Iligan City's focus project under the One Town, One Product Project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry, different agencies have already extended support to the development of the abaca industry in the city.

Some 600 hectares of land in five barangays in the city are already planted to abaca with the support of the city government and Land Bank of the Philippines under the LGU-LBP shared financing program.

To ensure its growth, the DTI has started developing the downstream industries through value-adding activities, such as basic training on weaving and dyeing to selected women representing the different barangays in the city, which is funded by Rep. Alipio Cirilo V. Badelles of the 1st district of Lanao del Norte.

These women are now members of the Community Organizing Development Workers Association (COCD-WA).

Recently, the COCD-WA members participated in a study mission cum technology training in Leyte, Bicol, and Bicutan with DTI personnel to further develop their products and include the garment industry as one of their prospective markets.

The group visited the National Abaca Research Center in Visca, Baybay, Leyte and attended the briefing on abaca production and testing of available equipment for weaving, as well as benchmarking of products exported by companies the visited at the Bicol Exporters.

The last stop was in Bicutan to observe the technology demonstration on fabric softening, attend a lecture on dyeing, testing of stripping machine, and briefing on available machines for abaca processing.

Leonor Tianco, DTI senior specialist and point person on abaca industry, said abaca product production not oly help augment the income of Iliganons, but create more jobs, as well as boost the economic status of manufacturers. (PIA 10) [top]



http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060120.htm&no=51