The country’s abaca production in January to October rose by 11.3 percent year-on-year to 57,059.26 metric tons (MT), according to the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida).
Latest PhilFida data showed that abaca output during the 10-month period was 5,776.2 MT higher than the 51,283.06 MT recorded in the same period a year ago.
PhilFida Executive Director Kennedy T. Costales attributed the increase in production to the agency’s distribution of abaca seed-derived planting materials nationwide.
“We have been massively distributing abaca seed-derived planting materials to our abaca farmers on a first-come, first-served basis for more than 4 years now,” Costales said in a statement.
He said the industry is now seeing the benefits of the distributed planting materials since an abaca plant matures for a maximum of two years.
“Our farmers are now starting to reap its full benefits,” he said. “The second reason is the continued good weather. We again pray for good weather up to the end of the year.”
Costales also said improvements in PhilFida’s monitoring of traders and the easing of Covid-19 restrictions nationwide contributed to the hike in abaca production.
He noted that buying prices by grading baling establishments (GBEs) have been “very stable” and “attractive” to abaca farmers.
PhilFida data showed that four regions posted double-digit growth rates while production in three other regions recorded single-digit growth rates.
Abaca output in Northern Mindanao expanded by 84.6 percent year-on-year to 6,877.08 MT while production in Western Visayas rose by 59.2 percent to 3,290.43 MT.
Data from the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture indicated that production in Eastern Visayas went up by 43.4 percent to 4,136.47 MT while output in Central Visayas expanded by 20.4 percent to 241.08 MT.
The output of Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, and Caraga grew by 7.7 percent, 9.5 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively. Abaca output in Zamboanga Peninsula reached 551 MT while output in Davao Region and Caraga grew to 11,781.21 MT and 8,096.25 MT, respectively.
The Bicol Region, the country’s top producer of abaca, saw output falling by 7.9 percent to 17,401.68 MT from last year’s 18,893.44 MT.
The Philippines produces 85 percent of the world’s abaca fiber supply, and 1.5 million Filipinos depend on it for their livelihood.