Monday, January 22, 2007 Abaca farms in Davao Region free of diseases, Fida says By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE regional office of the Fiber Industry Development Authority (Fida) revealed that a total of 725.15 hectares of abaca farms all over Davao Region have been treated of diseases last year.
In a report furnished to Sun.Star, Fida said aside from abaca farms, about 52,195 hills of abaca were freed of diseases through the use of manual rouging and chemical method.
A total of 172.25 hectares in Davao Oriental was also treated and freed of abaca diseases last year, achieving 127.60 percent accomplishment out of the 135 hectares targeted for the year.
The eradication of abaca diseases in the province was implemented under the Abaca Disease Management Project of the agency.
Last year, Fida expanded the biggest abaca plantation in Davao Oriental with total of 430.975 hectares. The province also posted to have the biggest area for abaca plantation among the five provinces in Davao Region.
Earlier, Fida assistant regional director Antonio Doong, said Fida will continue with its program implemented by the National Government, which is dubbed as the "Oplan Sagip Abaca." The program started several years ago.
Fida, Doong said, will continue its effort in preventing and eradicating diseases in abaca plants regionwide.
He added that to address this problem, Fida will also provide clean planting materials to abaca farmers.
"We will provide them clean and 100 percent apparently healthy abaca plants," he said.
Doong claimed that the fiber community will be progressive this year because of the increasing price and demand in abaca.
