Tuesday, October 09, 2007 Abaca yield in Balamban drops by half due to rainy season
THE abaca production in Balamban town dropped due to the rainy season and amid an increase in demand in just a month’s time.
The decrease in the production of abaca has greatly affected the income of the residents of Barangay Magsaysay in Balamban, Barangay Captain Jose Bebelonio Pepito told Sun.Star Cebu in a phone interview.
“There’s no problem in growing the abaca, only in harvesting it,” Pepito said.
He said locals could only harvest 80 kilos to 120 kilos of abaca during rainy season. The yield could double during the dry season.
Although the demand for abaca increased to 600 kilos, the abaca-producing barangay was only able to supply 200 kilos.
More than a month ago, they only receive an order of 100 kilos per buyer, but now, they could get a demand of 300 kilos per buyer for the white abaca fiber alone.
“There is already a weekly demand of more than 600 kilos for the white abaca fibers, while they could only supply 200 kilos,” Pepito said.
They could no longer store abaca fibers as stocks, that’s why they aim to produce 600 kilos by next week to keep up with the demand, he said.
Drying facilities
This wouldn’t be a problem anymore once the three additional drying facilities promised by the Department of Science and Technology will be operational.
Pepito said the facilities will be available by next year.
“Sayang man gud kaayo ang income nga among makuha unta sa 400 kilos,” Pepito said (Producing 400 kilos more could help us earn extra).
They expect to produce 1,000 kilos per week with the operation of the four drying machines, as there would be a continuous production even during the rainy season, Pepito said.
After the plans for the development of their abaca product was published in Sun.Star Cebu in August, the demand for the raw materials from Lahug, Cebu City and Davao City, among others, increased, Bebelonio said.
“Buyers came to see if the quality of the abaca we produced was as good as those from Dumaguete and Iloilo,” Pepito said, adding that they we’re able to get positive responses from their customers.
Infrastructure
The 100-hectare property for abaca plantation of the Barangay Unity Key to Integrated Development Multi-Purpose Cooperative is not yet ready due to the lack of infrastructure.
This could have helped increase the barangay’s production, Pepito said.
The barangay’s harvest only came from the different residential patches of land, which total to 70 hectares, Pepito said. (TEP)
