AS URBANIZATION continues to grow in the city, the production of durian is at risk.
“We are having a shorter allocation of land for durian plantation in the city due to conversion of these plantations into residential areas,” Davao Durian Council chairman Larry Miculob said during the media forum Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, July 30, 2018.
Miculob added that rising commercial sites are fast developing in Tugbok district, and Toril area, specifically at Manambulan area.
“We can see in these areas that lands are continuing in development for commercial and industrialization, and our plantable areas are sacrificed,” Miculob said.
Miculob added that it is still up to the land owners if they would want to convert their lands to residential areas, selling it to housing firms.
“It is always the option of the land owner on what to do with their lands,” Miculob said.
Though the Revised Zoning Ordinance of 1996 of the City of Davao is enacted in order to identify the various land use districts or zones, and to designate the allowable uses as prescribed physical and performance standards based on the approved general urban land.
“For example if the agricultural land is converted into residential, it will still go through the approval of the zoning act enacted by the city. They still have to ask the approval from the city council,” Miculob said.
According to Miculob Davao city is supplying 60 percent of the durian production in the country which gives the city a yield of 30 tons per hectare. Out of the 16,600 total hectares of durian plantation in the country, 2,800 hectares of which is located in Davao.
Meanwhile, Miculob said typhoon Pablo also had a huge effect in wiping out almost 3,000 hectares in Compostela Valley.
In 2012, from a total of 10,000 hectares for Davao region 7,000 hectares were left for durian plantation.