Amaranth / Kulitis

I.Scientific Name: Amaranthus tricolor L; A. viridis L.; A. dubius C. Martius; A. cruentus L.

II. Common Names/Local Names:

Amaranth, Chinese spinach, tampala, pigweed (English)
Kulitis , Uray (Tagalog)

Varieties:

• Tiger leaf – spineless, leaf soft tender and variegated in color
• Red leaf – spineless, often used as an ornamental plants in certain areas
• Green Leaf – spineless
• Uray – spiny, It has a reddish color on the undersurface of the cotyledons and on the stem

III. Botanical Description

The edible amaranth (A. tricolor L or A. viridis L) is an annual leafy vegetables belonging to the amaranthaceae or amaranth family.

Amaranthus – Erect annual, strongly branching, up to 2.5 m tall, with strongly branched tap root. Leaves alternate, long petiolate, simple and entire. Flowers in axillary clusters, upper clusters often leafless and in panicled spikes, unisexual, solitary in the axil of a bract, witrh 2 bracteoles, 3-5 tepals either free stamens as many as tepals (male flowers) or ovate or oblong ovary with 2-3 stigmas (female flowers). Fruits a dry capsule, dehiscent or indehiscent . Seeds shiny black or brown.

A. tricolor – Erect annual up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves elliptical to lanceolate or broad-ovate, dark green, light green or red. Clusters of flowers axillary, often globose, with a reduced terminal spike, but occasionally the terminal spike is well developed. Teplas 3. fruit dehiscent, with a circumscissile lid. Seeds black, relatively large; 1200-2900 seeds/g. cultivated

A. dubius – Annual sometimes biennial, up to 2 m tall, erect, strongly branching, Leaves ovate or rhomboid ovate, shortly cuneate at base, dark green. Lower clusters of flowers axillary, upper clusters leafless and in lax panicled spikes. Tepals 3-5. Fruits dehiscent, with a circumscissile lid. Seeds black, very small; 3000-4800 seeds/g. cultivated vegetables, sometimes escaped as weed.

A. cruentus – Tall annual, up to 2.5 m. Leaves lanceolate, accurate and often short-decurrent at base, grayish-green. Clusters of flowers in large axillary and terminal panicled spikes. Tepals 5. Fruit dehiscent, with a circumscissile lid. Seeds dark brown to black; 2,500 – 3,000 seeds/g. seeds of grain types are light yellow. Cultivated as vegetable or grain.

A spiny relative of kulitis called uray (A. spinosus L) is a common vegetable in some regions in the Philippines. Though, spiny, it makes excellent greens or potherbs when used in the same way as spinach.

IV. Adaptability

It is highly adapted under lowland condition. Grow well at day temperatures above 250C and night temperatures not lower than 150C. Amaranthus are quantitative short day plants. It consumes high amount of water and uses 6 mm/day. Amaranthus prefers fertile, well drained soils with a loose structure.

V. Uses / Importance

Amaranth is one of the most delicious leafy vegetables. It is a good crop for greens especially during the summer months when it is hard to grow and other kinds of vegetables. Amaranth is used in stews, “sinigang’ and other dishes wherever spinach (Spinacea oleracea L).

Many wild Amaranthus species are used as pot herbs. Used as ornamentals are A. tricolor forms with red, yellow and green coloured leaves or leaf sections and A. cruentus with large bright red inflorescences. Amaranthus weeds are used as for fodder (pigweed). Vegetable amaranths are recommended as a good food with medicinal properties for young children, lactating mothers and for patients with fever, hemorrhage, anemia or kidney complaints. The wild A. spinosus L. used as a depurative against venereal diseases and as dressing on boils.

VI. Nutrient Value

Amaranth is a rich source of calcium, iron and vitamin A as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Nutritional values of amaranth (Raw and Boiled/100 grams edible portion)

VII. Propagation

Amaranth is propagated by seeds. Depending on the cultivar, photoperiod and cultural practices, flowering may start 4-8 weeks after sowing then the seeds mature after 3-4 months (it will serves as the source of planting materials). However, A. dubius will continue its generative stage for a much longer period and when cut regularly, the plant may become shrubby and perennial but even at its mature stage the leaves are succulent which is suitable for consumption as vegetables.

VIII. Cultural Practices

Preparing the field

Amaranth requires thorough land preparation with twice plowing and harrowing and well-prepared bed for good growth.

Planting

Amaranth is planted either by direct seeding or transplanting. The choice of planting method depends on availability of seed and labor and may also vary with growing season. Direct seeding is appropriate when plenty of seeds is available, labor is limited and during the dry season when frequency of watering is less. Transplanting is preferred when there is limited amount of seed, plenty of labor and during the wet season when heavy rains and flooding are most likely to wash out the seeds.

However, the most common practices is sowing directly in rows with 0.5-1.0 cm deep and space rows 10-20 cm apart. Sow the seeds 5 cm apart within the row and cover with a layer of compost or rice hull, or broadcasting with a seed rate of 2-5 g/m2 (20-50 kg/ha). If transplanted, the seed requirement is only 2 kg/ha with plant densities of 400 plants/m2.

Fertilizing

Although amaranth is a low management crop and can grow in poor soils, yield increased with fertilizer application. A combination of both inorganic and organic fertilizers improves yield and maintains soil fertility. The amount of fertilizer to apply depends on soil fertility, soil type, fertilizer recovery rate, and soil organic matter. A soil test is highly recommended to determine the available N, P, and K. Suggested fertilizer recommendations are shown in Table 1. Fertilizer recommendations depend on local conditions, consult your fertility management specialist or conduct soil analysis to determine optimal rates.

Table 1. Recommended fertilizer rates (kg/ha) for amaranth production at AVRDC

Water Management

Amaranth is relatively drought tolerant, insufficient water will reduce yield. Water should be applied especially just after sowing or transplanting to have a good stand. As a rule, the plants should be irrigated if wilting occurs at noontime. During the rainy season, drainage is essential for plant survival and growth. Raised beds, clean furrows and large drainage canals facilitate quick drainage of excess water after heavy rain. Another way to gauge soil moisture content is to take a handful of soil from the bottom of a 15-cm deep hole. Squeeze the soil. If it holds together when you release your grip, there is sufficient soil moisture; if the soil crumbles, it’s time to irrigate. Irrigate thoroughly to maintain vigorous plant growth. Avoid over-irrigation, which may enhance disease development and nutrient leaching. Drip irrigation or micro-sprinkler irrigation is recommended in areas with limited water supply. If sprinkler irrigation must be used, avoid late evening irrigation to prevent diseases.

Weed Management

Weeds compete for light, water, and nutrients, thereby resulting in reduced yield. It may be controlled using a combination of methods. Choose the most appropriate method(s) for your location. Thorough land preparation is the first key to effective weed control. Amaranth is small-seeded and slow to germinate, therefore, weed control is essential in their early stage. A seedbed free of weed seeds allows amaranth seedlings to get a head start on the weeds and establish a canopy that can shade out emerging weed seedlings. Hand or hoe weeding can be performed as needed.

IX. Pests and Disease Management

Insect pests and diseases must be controlled to ensure good yield and marketable quality. Amaranth is susceptible to damage by foliar insects such as leafminers, leafrollers cutworms, aphids, flea beetles, and mites.

Traditional method of spreading wood ash to dispel insects have been replaced by spraying regularly up to twice a week with insecticides. Chemical pesticides should be used mainly as a corrective measure. Choose a pesticide that targets the specific insect that is causing the damage, and try to avoid pesticides that kill or inhibit the development of beneficial organisms. Choose pesticides that have short persistence, i.e., the effects last only a few days. Pesticides should be applied in the evening, and workers should not be allowed into the field until the recommended waiting period (usually 12 to 24 hours) has passed . An alternative but effective method of controlling insect pests is to cover the bed with a fine screen or nylon mesh netting (32-mesh or finer).

X. Harvesting

Amaranths are ready for harvest in 20–45 days after planting or sowing depending on variety and plant type. Plants may be harvested once or several times. Once-over harvesting is adapted for short maturing and quick growing varieties such as A. tricolor. Whole plants are pulled from soil with roots, washed and tied in bundles. With multiple harvests, young leaves and tender shoots are picked at 2–3 week intervals. Eventually, the plants begin to flower and develop fewer leaves. Frequent harvesting of leaves and shoots delays the onset of flowering and thus prolongs the harvest period. Amaranth and other leafy vegetables have large surface-to-volume ratio and lose water rapidly. To reduce water loss, harvest during the cooler time of day, such as early morning or late afternoon.

XI. Post-Harvest Handling

Since amaranth wilts rapidly, common practice in markets and shops is to sprinkle with water to keep its fresh appearance. If uprooted, the vegetables can be kept fresh for some days by putting it into basin with the roots in the water and sold in bunches or by weight.

XII. Prospects/Opportunities

Amaranth is recognized as an easy to grow and very productive crop. It is probably the highest yielding leaf vegetable of the tropics with its excellent nutritional value thus of high importance for human consumption and as a cheap green vegetables for city dwellers. Research should focus on optimization of cultural practices, effective pest control with fewer residues and plant nutrition.

XIII. References
A.C. Sas. 1984. Plants and Health. p 10.
Kasem Piluek. Plant Genetic Resources of South-East Asia 8 (PROSEA) for Vegetables. Pp 82-86
M.C. Palada and L.C. Chang, AVRDC International Cooperators’ Guide. May 2003, pub #03-552
PCARRD Technoguide 1985 pp 18-19.

Source: bpi.da.gov.ph

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Lobo, Batangas has over 500 hectares of farmland planted with sweet sugar apple trees. The tree’s fruit, popularly known as “Atis”, is tended by over a thousand farmers. It’s no wonder why Lobo has been declared through Resolution No. 2011-61 as the “Atis Capital of the Philippines” in September 2011.

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Despite this recognition, Lobo started out in a less progressive state in terms of its farming systems. According to Daisynette D. Manalo, project leader of the “Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) on Sugar Apple + Vegetables + Legume Farming System in Lobo, Batangas,” an Atis tree can potentially produce five kilograms of the fruit but the current average production in Lobo is only one kilogram per tree. At 45 pesos per kilogram, low income among atis farmers during harvest time has raised concerns for developing the municipality’s farming systems.

She added that, aside from natural disasters such as typhoons, one major cause for low production is the mealybug, small pest insects that feed on plant sap while leaving a sticky substance on the fruit and leaves. The sticky substance makes room for fungi to develop leaving the fruit surface with sooty mold. These sticky, white cotton ball like pests, infest a great number of Atis tress and can become uncontrollable during summer, when rainfall is scarce and irrigation is unsteady.

The CPAR project, implemented by the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 4A, Southern Tagalog Integrated Agricultural Research Center (STIARC), is funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

Prior to the implementation of the CPAR project, the Office of the Municipal Agriculture of Lobo conducted a Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA) among Atis farmers with the general objective of improving their yield and income. It aimed to equip smallholders with efficient irrigation technology, new crops to plant, and create an organized association for Atis farmers.

It was during the PRA that farmers from Lobo pointed out a simple solution to the mealybug infestation: water. The option of using chemical pesticides was not feasible due to the huge stretches of land and canopy that needed to be sprayed. What was needed is proper irrigation to give farmers access to enough water for spraying the pests off Atis trees. Farmers in Lobo would need long stretches of water pipes that transport water from the municipality’s numerous water springs. With the CPAR project, 20 farmers from two barangays in Lobo were provided with new irrigation systems that included the construction of water reservoirs, and the procurement of water pumps, power sprayers, and plastic drums.

According to Ms. Rosie Egea, municipal agriculturist in Lobo, in two weeks time, farmers have already noticed significant developments in the quality and quantity of their yield. Ever since collecting water from the new irrigation system, Atis trees began yielding more fruit.

According to Pablo De Castro, baranggay captain, also an Atis farmer in Brgy. Banalo, Lobo, the trees that used to yield five kilos of Atis can now produce up to nine kilos of the fruit. At present, Atis farmers are favoured to possibly having two harvest seasons production. Off-season harvest runs from May to July and the regular season from August to October.

Part of the project also involved training farmers in intercropping legumes and vegetables with Atis. According to Ms. Manalo, planting different crops on the same farmland preserves the nutrients present in the soil and it can lead to better quality for the harvested Atis. Diversifying the number of crops planted on farmland has not only increased the income of the farmers in Lobo, but also helped in providing their families with enough supply of crops for personal use.

Aside from providing new methods in irrigation and intercropping, farmers were also trained in the proper methods of applying fertilizer, pruning, and weeding. STIARC provided the farmers with enough equipment in order for its beneficiaries to continue applying what they have been taught.

With the organization of an association for Atis farmers, Ms. Manalo has pointed out that farmers can finally agree to establish a hub where they can store their harvest and directly sell to market vendors. This also cuts down on the necessary expenses needed for one to hire middle men and decreases the retail price per kilo of Atis in the market.

The CPAR project’s recipients are 20 farmers from two of Lobo’s less progressive barangays, Brgy. Balatbat and Brgy. Banaio. According to Ms. Manalo, once the project reaches its conclusion this year, funding is passed down to the municipal government in order for project to continue and expand to the rest of Lobo’s barangays. ### (EJ Gestupa)

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The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing to boost seaweed production in Southern Leyte to maximize seaweed’s niche to give jobs to highly-skilled seaweed growers and eradicate poverty in potential coastal areas.

The project should harness the already existing Philippine asset as a producer of United States-Food and Drug Administration-approved Philippine Natural Grade (PNG) carrageenan, a product made from seaweed.

[caption id="attachment_14026" align="alignnone" width="500"] Photo by Derek Keats[/caption]

Carrageenan, according to producer MCPI, is a “hydrocolloid” (gel in contact with water) extracted from red seaweeds which employs a nature-friendly low-energy mild alkali process.

“We are looking into supporting more projects in seaweeds since it is a product that is unique to us and where we can have the competitive edge globally,” said DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

A P5 million financing is proposed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for farming of seaweeds in Hinonangan, Southern Leyte.

The project proposes a P5 million funding from BAR.

The use of carrageenan over other substitutes is even more becoming a global trend considering its environment-friendly manufacturing.

“If possible, we want to plant seaweeds in all suitable areas in Leyte so that we can contribute to elimination of pollutants. Seaweeds utilize excess organic matter (in the environment). It’s a plant that functions to filter natural waste in the environment,” said Lea Tumabiene, officer-in-charge of BFAR extension communication and training division.

BFAR Region 8 headed by Dr. Juan D. Albaladejo, director, aims to provide seedlings and other inputs for beneficiaries. Perhaps more important, the BAR-BFAR project is considering to aid farmers particularly in producing high-quality seeds since a market is ready to buy the products.

Strict export- quality standards

If seaweed production in Southern Leyte will increase, the TBK Manufacturing Corp. can buy the products. However, the company is very strict in quality and obtains most of its supply from an even more distant source, Zamboanga, even if Leyte’s potential production is significant.

TBK, a PNG carrageenan producer and exporter, has a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification, a globally-recognized food safety system, which consequently compels it to keep strict quality.

The country exports seaweeds to the United States and Europe, among others.

According to the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), the country held as of 2003 the number one global position in semi-refined food grade carrageenan, alkali treated chips, and raw dried seaweed. It ranked fourth in refined carrageenan.

Potential huge dollar earnings

This was equivalent to close to $200 million in export earnings including $87 million for semi-refined carrageenan, $41 million for refined carrageenan, and $15 million for raw dried seaweed.

Given government support, dollar revenue generation from the sector may reach to $500 million to $1 billion yearly.

That is aside from its important job creation role.

“Over a million marginal fishermen are engaged in seaweed farming with an average annual income of P120,000.00,” according to SIAP.

According to Cebu-based carrageenan manufacturer MCPI, the Philippines over the last two decades has been dominating the raw material (seaweed) supply globally, accounting for 70 to 75 percent.

MCPI said this is attributable to “the unique blending of the country's coral reef structure, temperature and currents of its waters, and the accessibility of easily-trained workers.”

The country can take much of this needed expansion from Southern Leyte. A total of 40 species of macrobenthic algae was identified in Southern Leyte, according to Southern Leyte State University.

. This is composed of 17 species of green algae,13 species of brown algae, and 10 species of red algae.

At present, seaweed farmers need extensive financing for seedlings, farm devices, and for daily sustenance. BFAR only extends to them free seedlings when it conducts technology demonstration.

But the needed skills in growing are already well-provided by the province’s residents.

Seaweed growing best practices

When BFAR conducted a participatory rural appraisal (PRA), they found out Southern Leyte coastal natives already have best practices in seaweed farming.

“When it’s not seaweed season, they keep their culture lines and tie them in an anchor under the sea, so these are not carried away by waves and rains. They also preserve their seedlings,” said Tumabiene.

They also practice economical growing through the floating system.

The farmers in Southern Leyte, still considered to be living in an identified poverty-stricken area, still lack financing. There aren’t a lot of financing windows there, and farmers turn to BFAR for this help.

“BFAR’s financing is not enough. Farmers need to expand over a bigger seaweed area because the conversion to carrageenan requires a bigger area. The ratio of fresh seaweed to dried is seven to one.”

The other problem is the infestation of turtles. One time they planted up to 2,000 kilos of seedlings, but these all were destroyed by sea turtles. The area is a spawning ground for turtles.

BFAR is finding a way to install turtle scarers in seaweed farms, perhaps noise-making devices to shoo the creatures a way.

Southern Leyte as the next Zamboanga

Southern Leyte and perhaps other Eastern Visayas sites have a significant potential to become a major seaweed source in the country just like Zamboanga as its residents are willing to go into aggressive planting.

In Brgy Maliwaliw, Eastern Samar, farmers assiduously clean their farms. Because of their sanitation practice, they are able to stay away from diseases and are therefore able to harvest seaweeds on a daily basis.

If the plants become heavy with growth, they prune the outgrown thalli (branches) so that the thalli are able to branch out some more. They dry under the sun the harvested mature thalli, while new offshoots may also be used as seedlings. They use monofilament (tansi or hook and line fishing) as their culture line for growing seaweeds.

Yield of seaweeds vary depending on the area.

Seaweeds are grown afloat oceans in order to capture photosynthesis. When these are in the bottom of the sea, they can hardly grasp sunlight. Some seaweed growers though particularly in Dawahon River between Cebu and Leyte practice fixed bottom line growing. But this is because coral reef area is shallow.

Poverty alleviation tool

“It will really help in poverty alleviation. It is especially suitable in coastal areas like ours because seaweed needs a specific location, unlike livestock raising, chicken or hog production which can be done anywhere,” she said.

Southern Leyte should really tap its sea resources since it can be among its single biggest asset in food production.

“Only a few of our municipalities (in Leyte) are without water, and we should use all of these,” she said.

There are already collaborative agreements under a MOA (memorandum of agreement) between local government units (LGU) and farmers on seaweed growing since LGUs have the jurisdiction over coastal water. They are in the best position to collect data and monitor seaweed farming activities being right where the sites are.

World class-grade carrageenan

The Philippines obtained in 1994 an approval for its PNG carrageenan from the Coded Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants) in Rome which conducted toxicological assessment of the food additive.

A Codex Alimentarius food safety certification has also been assigned to the Philippine product.

There is a very extensive market for seaweeds as carrageenan is used as toothpaste binder, choco milk stabilizer, surimi and petfood binder, dessert gel binder, hotdog and sausage binder, butter and fat replacement, bread and pasta binder, textile paint thickener, ham and patty binder, ice cream stabilizer, milk and juice products viscosifier, beer and vinegar clarifier, culture media gelling agent, and frozen and poultry water binder.

The eucheuma, and cottonnii and spinosum species (used for natural grade carrageenan) and particularly the red seaweeds, producing the kappa and iota types, are indigenous to the country.

###
For any questions, please contact Ms. Lea Tumabiene, BFAR extension OIC; for interview requests, 0920-715-7186

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More genetically modified (GM) products with nutrition enhancement and medical uses will potentially be released in the market up to 2017 including vaccines and enzyme-rich corn that results in environment-friendly hog raising.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) is optimistic there will be more GM or biotechnology products that will have beneficial effect to consumers in the next few years.

“There are (GM crops with) input and output traits in the pipeline,” according to Dr. Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA Global Coordinator in “Crop Biotechnology: Impact and Future Prospects for Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture.”

“These will help ensure food security and alleviation of poverty and hunger.”

GM crops that have the beneficial input traits will benefit farmers in higher yield and profit and reduced exposure to health risks such as pesticide sprays. These include those with resistance to pests and diseases and drought and tolerance to salt, cold, and herbicide.

Their input traits result in higher crop yield. There will also be crops that have high nitrogen use efficiency, enabling plants to require less fertilizer and be produced cheaper.

GM products that have the output traits will benefit consumers and industries.

These products have traits like increased shelf life, increased omega 3, improved nutrition, reduced lignin, and improved quality. These products may be biopharmaceuticals.

For one, there are GM soybeans that have several superior traits. These are high oleic content with reduced transfat, low phytase that reduces phosphorus levels in animal manure, high omega-3 that enhances human health, and high stearic acid that reduces harmful fats.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has noted that there are potential GM products that may succeed in the market up to 2017, Hautea cited.

Some of these GM products are already “routinarily” used to enhance nutrition in food or to produce pharmaceutical products. Ensuring food security will continue to be a primary role of GM products.

“The challenge is to produce enough food over the next four decades to meet expected requirement of over nine billion people on less land area, water, and nutrients,” said Hautea.

The need for GM products will even become pressing amid climate disturbances.

Climate change is worsening hunger threats as it may adversely affect health and productivity of crops, livestock, and fisheries.

In its aim to look at the potential of GM crops and other GM products up to 2017, FAO has come up with a publication on “GMOs in the Pipeline: Looking to the Next Five Years in the Crop, Forestry, Livestock, Aquaculture and Agro-industry Sectors in Developing Countries.”

This report looks into the specific kind of GM products that are likely to be commercialized in developing countries over the next five years since 2012 and to discuss their potential implications.

High phytase corn

High phytase corn, which is expected to be soon commercialized in China after its biosafety approval in 2009, is contributing to a more environment-friendly hog production.

Phytase enhancement in corn for feed through GM reduces the release to the environment of potentially-damaging phosphorus.

It will decrease inorganic phosphate supplementation in animals.

“Phytase decreases the excretion of organic phosphorus in feces by 40 percent, thus largely reducing phosphate pollution,” according to GM phytase corn developer Origin Agritech Ltd.

“Animals will directly absorb more phosphate from their feed. In China, annual fecal phosphorus from animals totals 2.5 million tons which has led to serious environmental problem. (Phytase corn) should reduce phosphorus pollution caused by animal waste and excess fertilizer use. Phytic acid in animal manure is a major source of phosphate pollution,” said FAO.

Food processing

GM microorganisms-- living organisms that can only be seen through the microscope—bacteria, fungi, and viruses—have been traditionally used in food processing and food ingredient production, noted FAO.

For commercially purposes, GM microorganisms are used to produce enzymes (like phytase)—proteins that catalyze desired chemical reactions.

“Since the early 1990s, preparations containing chymosin, (an enzyme used to curdle milk in the preliminary steps of cheese manufacture) derived from GM bacteria have been available commercially,” according to the FAO. “Many colours, vitamins and essential amino acids used in the food industry are also from GM microorganisms.”

Argentina, Brazil, China, Cuba and India are among developing countries that produce enzyme using GM microorganisms.

Use of GM microorganisms for animal feed has also been a traditional practice in developed countries.

Animal nutrition

There are cases where amino acids and enzymes use GM microorganisms for animal nutrition.

Feed additives supply essential amino acids to feed and poultry even as some livestock feeds lack some essential amino acids.

One GM product beneficial as feed additive is high lysine corn. Lysine, methionine, and tryptophan are among amino acids that are added to diets of animals.

“Most grain-based livestock feeds are deficient in essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine and tryptophan and for high producing monogastric animals (pigs and poultry) these amino acids are added to diets to increase productivity,” according to the FAO.

GM Bacteria

There are bacteria that are used to enhance meat and milk production of animals.

A GM bacteria is used to produce recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) in order to more efficiently convert feed into higher yield milk and decrease milk fat in dairy cows.

Certain GM bacteria are also used to improve recombinant porcine somatotropin (rPST) in order to “increase muscle growth, reduce body fat, and improve carcass composition in pigs,” according to FAO.

In general, these GM bacteria are called metabolic modifiers. These are compounds that enable change in physiology and metabolism of animals.

“The hormone is administered by injection and has been approved since the 1990s in several developed and developing countries,” according to FAO.

Vaccine

GM has been instrumental in enhancing animal health through vaccination.

GM vaccines have advantages over conventional vaccines in that these are safe and cheaper. GM vaccines also have more protective immunity.

Important, GM vaccines offer possibility to help people distinguish between vaccinated animals and infected animals.

“Recombinant DNA technology is now used to develop different kinds of vaccines to manage diseases in livestock and fish,” said FAO.

There are vaccines with deletions in genes linked with virulence.

“These gene-deleted vaccines, where pathogens (bacteria or viruses) with deletions in genes associated with virulence or involved in key metabolic pathways, are used as live vaccines,” said FAO.

Among such vaccines that are in the market, according to FAO, are the gene-deleted bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) for cattle or viral vector vaccines against poultry diseases such as Marek’s Disease, Fowl Pox and Gumboro or against West Nile virus (WNV) in horses.

GM trees

There are already GM trees in the market. Bt trees were approved in 2002 for commercialization in China. These are the European black poplar and the hybrid white poplar clone GM 741.

As of 2011, these Bt trees represent 1.4 million plants on 300 to 500 hectares, according to FAO.

There are numerous field trials, 700 as reported by Kanowski in 2012, currently being conducted on GM trees of 30 genera. Most of these are in the United States and mostly are on the Populus, Pinus and Eucalyptus species. Other field trials have been approved in China, 84, and in Brazil, 18.

GM animals

As there are ethical concerns on development of GM animals, there are yet no known commercial GM animals in the market. However, for pharmaceutical purposes, the commercialization of a GM animal has been approved for production of pharmaceutical proteins.

“These include the use of GM rabbits to produce conestat alfa, the active substance in Ruconest (a medicine used to treat attacks of hereditary angioedema in adults) and the use of GM goats to produce antithrombin alfa, the active substance in Atryn (used to treat patients who have congenital antithrombin deficiency),” said FAO.

The pharmaceutical proteins come from the animal’s milk. There are also GM animals, particularly mice, that are used for biomedical research

GM fish

While there is no approved GM fish in the market for food use, there are GM fishes for ornamental uses.

“Ornamental GM fluorescent fish have been commercialized in some countries, including the United States, Malaysia and Taiwan Province of China (Hallerman, 2004). These aquarium pets, of the zebrafish and tetra fish species, express fluorescent colour proteins encoded by genes from jellyfish and sea anemone so that they can glow at night,” reported the FAO.

In the US, the AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon is a fast growing fish. It has been modified by adding a Chinook salmon growth hormone gene under an ocean pout antifreeze protein promoter. Its commercial approval is in process.
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For any questions or interview requests, kindly contact Ms. Analiza C. Mendoza (Growthmagph), 0921-338-3816, 0916-266-6604. This press release is also available on http://growthmagph.com/?p=144. Link to FAO’s “GMOs in the Pipeline …” http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap109e/ap109e00.pdf.

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State-run Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) has started partnering with the private sector in a pilot use of sweet sorghum which can potentially lower feed cost to P20.49 per kilo and raise net income to P18.49 per kilo of chicken live weight.

The development of sweet sorghum grains as complementary to corn grains as feed raw material may help raise Philippines’ poultry and livestock sector’s competitiveness through cost reduction.

In a cost and return analysis, PAC found experimental feeds from sweet sorghum to be cheaper at P20.49 per kilo compared to P21.86 per kilo using corn. The corn-sorghum mix experimental feed cost P20.7 per kilo.

The Philippines still significantly imports corn feed ingredients particularly feed wheat at one million metric tons (MT) as projected for 2013 by the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (Pafmi). The United States Department of Agriculture estimated the country’s corn importation to reach 100,000 MT for market year 2012-2013.

The entire feed milling industry was estimated to be valued as of 2005 at P103.25 billion, according to Pafmi.

The government is embarking on research and development (R&D) on feeds with its important role in making the local poultry and livestock industry competitive, according to Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

“We need to do more R&D on feeds since feeds account for a significant amount of our animal growing cost,” said Eleazar. “Any competitiveness in cost will have an important impact in raising the standard of living especially of our small farmers.”

Cost of feeds may account for a significant 50 percent of the cost of raising poultry and livestock.

Caleb Tan

Entrepreneur Caleb Tan who owns a 2000-head layer farm in Malabon believes government’s R&D investment in feeds will eventually pay off.

“We’ve been importing a lot of feed ingredients like wheat. I think we should really push for feeds materials like sweet sorghum. I think there’s a potential for sweet sorghum as feed as you can just plant it in your backyard,” said Tan.

Sweet sorghum has the primary advantage of being a climate smart crop—one that can be planted in marginal lands and in rainfed (non-irrigated) areas.

Tan found sweet sorghum feed as equivalent to corn-based feed when it was subjected to a study by PAC. He used this on his layer farm which is an organic farm.

“I found that the quality of the eggs and the production (quantity) is the same (as that with corn), so I thought I can really use sorghum to replace corn feed,” he said.

He has been trying to find a source of organically-grown corn, particularly a non-GMO (genetically modified organism) corn, for his farm. He found sweet sorghum grains as his excellent feed grain candidate.

Average daily gain

PAC has also found an advantage in sweet sorghum feeds with its ability to speed up fattening of chicken. It was fastest to raise average daily grain of chicken using sweet sorghum feeds as ADG was 38.28 grams (g) per day.

For pure corn diet, ADG was 37.74 grams. The corn and sorghum diet combination brought animal ADG to 38.14 grams.

Net income from sweet sorghum as feed was higher at P18.49 per kilo compared to corn, P14.9 per kilo. For the corn-sorghum mix feed, it was P17.31 per kilo.

Palatability

Acceptability or palatability to animals of sweet sorghum feeds was similar compared to corn-based or other feeds. This was evidenced by the consumption rate.

“The result would imply that sweet sorghum can replace corn without causing adverse effects on performance,” said the PAC in a report.

B Meg

In Ilocos Norte, Bapamin Enterprises engaged in 2009-2010 in the pilot use of sweet sorghum grains for feeds with San Miguel Corp (SMC) for its B Meg feeds. SMC tried 15 MT of sweet sorghum grains for mixture in its formulation also under BAR’s sweet sorghum commercialization project.

Bapamin is campaigning for mass planting of sweet sorghum all over Luzon so that it can be popularized for feed use. It is targeting to produce 300 MT of sweet sorghum grains by 2014 coming from its 25-hectare land in Batac, Ilocos Norte and other provinces.

“We have been asked (by a trader) to supply them 20 tons a month. We can only supply them by January (2014) when harvest comes,” he said.

After the trials with the private sector, the government has to address other problems in sweet sorghum’s use for feed. Production of grains is still limited as farmers do not yet have an assured market.

Likewise, companies cannot commit to buying sweet sorghum grains as farmers do not yet regularly plant sweet sorghum. Besides, a continuous R&D program is needed to assure the private sector of adequate support for the production of commercial-grade quality feed grains.

Sweet sorghum flour

BAR is developing markets for other sweet sorghum products for food, particularly for highly-nutritious grains and flour. Sweet sorghum grains is eyed as a main ingredient for diet of patients in a local hospital. It may be an ingredient in champorado or porridge (lugaw).

Sweet sorghum flour is gluten-free. It is suitable for those ill of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine. Gluten-free food is also advised on autism patients.

Bapamin General Manager Antonio S. Arcangel said Bapamin has proposed a partnership with the Wellness and Nutrition department of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Fort Bonifacio Global City and in Quezon City.

“We’re going to St. Luke’s in Quezon City for accreditation. St. Luke’s at the Global City approved in principle (our supply of the grains and flour), but before they make the order, they asked us to get accredited in their Quezon City,” said Arcangel.

Sweetener

Sweet sorghum is also soon expected to be released as a sweetener in the market. BAR has supported a glycemic index (GI) study of sweet sorghum sweetener. It has been initially found out sweet sorghum sweetener has lower GI level at 61 compared to sugarcane’s 65 to 100 GI.

Sweet sorghum is reported by Bapamin to be a good-quality sweetener owing to its reported fine taste. The variety being used for sweetener has been developed by the Internationals Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics or Icrisat

Icrisat’s SPV422 was specifically found to have a brix content of 19 degrees based on an earlier 2007-2008 field study, the highest among sweet sorghum varieties. Its seed crop yield was highest at 57.5 metric tons per hectare.

High Income

Sweet sorghum planting is aimed to help raise the income of Filipino farmers. Under the PAC study, it was found that in two experimental farms, sweet sorghum showed high profitability which was at more than P125,000 per hectare compared to profit in rice and corn.

“A farmer would earn more than twice or even thrice for every peso he would invest in sweet sorghum production, depending on the type of production ecosystem and cropping season he would plant the crop,” according to the PAC report.

There are many options from which farmers can earn additional income.

These are selling the grains, cane stalks with leaves as forage for animals, or the stripped cane stalks to produce juice extracts, and boiled sweet sorghum juice (jaggery). The sweet sorghum juice may be simply used to produce liquid sugar, or it may be fermented from which to produce ethanol.

Other products

Other products that can be derived from sweet sorghum as shown in the PAC study are hair remover, soap, spa salt, body scrub, and liniment oil.

For food products, these are burger sorghum, mushroom in sorghum soup, pastillas de sorghum, pop sorghum, sorghum porridge, sorghum con moringa, sorghum in salt, sorghum as sweet product, sorghum native cake, sorghum cake with langka, sorghum porridge with chicken, sorghum sapin-sapin, soup, suman, sorghum-yam native cake, sorghum-choco porridge, sorghum-squash native cake, pepper leaves in sorghum, espasol na sorghum, and veggie-sorghum soup.

Under the PAC-BAR project, a total of 486 people was benefited by the project. These were 136 farmers, 108 mothers, 185 LGUs and professionals and 57 out of school youths and students.

BAR believes it should support projects that would help diversify crops planted on soil as it would contribute to environmental sustainability and soil conservation.
###

For any questions, please call Dr. Norman de Jesus, 0928-550-2561; Mr. Tony S. Arcangel, 0916466-3071; for interview requests, please call Ms. Analiza C. Mendoza, 0906-239-2362

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The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ERDB-DENR) had developed a promising plant microorganism that can help trees to survive hostile soil conditions. According to Dr. Henry A. Adornado, ERDB acting director, this plant organism called mycorrhiza is known to benefit plants by making sure that plants and […

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One of the many ingredients for recipes during Christmas season is the Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), also known as 'sweet pepper', 'kampana' or 'lara' is grown for its fruits, which usually comes in various colors such as red, green, yellow, brown, and orange.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="333"] Photo by Pike Creek Horticulture Center at Gateway Technica [/caption]

Production

1. requires cool weather for best fruit quality
2. in low elevations, it is best to plant on the second week of October up to first week of November
3. can be grown throughout the year in mid and high elevations
4. grows best in sandy loam soil with pH of 5.5-6.5
5. greenhouse pepper production is increasing using hybrid bell and lamuyo types
6. organic bell pepper is being produced in limited quantities
7. production was 11,614 mt in 2006, up by 6% from the output of the previous year at 10,951 mt
8. major producers were the Cordillera Administrative Region (45%), Northern Mindanao (17%), and Ilocos (13%)
9. area harvested in 2006 was 2,281 ha, down by 6.5% from 2,440 ha in 2005
10. yield per hectare was 5.09 mt in 2006, 13.6% higher than the 4.48 mt posted in 2005

Varieties

1. Hybrid: Celica, Enterprise (blocky), Fiesta (yellow), Galilee (blocky), Gold Flame (yellow), Kalahari (blocky), Kampana (blocky), King Solomon (Lamuyo type ), Haifa Wonder (blocky), Nun 3020 (yellow), Orangina (orange), Redondo (blocky), Trinity (blocky), Vega (blocky)
2. Open Pollinated: All Season, California Wonder, Tosca, Yolo Wonder

Utilization

1. consumed fresh as a salad or cooked together with other vegetables
2. can be eaten raw, stir-fried, baked, grilled, or stewed
3. makes an important addition to ‘chop suey’, and meat dishes such as ‘menudo’, ‘afritada’, and ‘kaldereta’
4. red type is also processed into ‘pimientos’, which makes into a delicious sandwich spread when combined with mayonnaise and cheese

Costs and Returns (2007)

1. cost of production was P132,848/ha
2. with a yield of 10,000 kg/ha sold at an average price of P25/kg, gross income was P250,000/ha
3. net income was P117,152/ha

Domestic Prices

1. wholesale price averaged about P62.95/kg; up by 9.2% than the previous year
2. average farmgate price was P34.59/kg; 37% higher than in 2005

Weakness

1. high cost of inputs
2. high incidence of pests (fruit worm, broad mites) and diseases (viruses, bacterial wilt, anthracnose)
3. seasonality of supply

Key Industry Players

1. Cooperatives in Benguet· Northern Mindanao Vegetable Producers Association, Inc. (NORMIN Veggies)
2. Vegetable Indsutry Council of Southern Mindanao (VICSMIN)· Dizon farms· Dole Tropi Fresh

Credit Assistance

Credit assistance provided provided by the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation (QUEDANCOR), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), rural banks, development banks

Technical Assistance

1. technical support provided by AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Institute of Plant Breeding-University of the Philippines Los Baños, Benguet State University, other state colleges and universities, offices of the DA and DOST, and private seed companies
2. technology available for pest and disease management and proper postharvest handling

Credit Assistance

Credit assistance provided provided by the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation (QUEDANCOR) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)

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An automatic weather station (AWS)  has been installed at the Luzon Agricultural Research and Extension Center (LAREC) in Floridablanca, Pampanga as part of boosting irrigation and raising sugarcane yield to 75 metric tons (MT) per hectare.

 The Water Resources Management Center (WRMC) of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) has developed an Optimum Irrigation Scheduling System for sugarcane as a model adopted from Australia which has among the world’s highest sugarcane yield.

In a seminar series hosted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), WRMC Head Armando N. Espino Jr., said irrigation will be a major key to raising sugar productivity in the Philippines.

“Water is a major limiting factor for productivity (especially) in changing climatic conditions and weather patterns.  The industry expansion depends upon efficient water use,” said Espino in the SEARCA seminar.

The sugarcane industry targets to raise yield by 2024 to 75 MT per hectare, up by 27% from the present 59 MT.

Improving irrigation will be a major factor to achieve this in order to raise sugar sector’s present value of P87 billion.

WRMC’s project is under the Smart Water Management Strategies for Sugarcane (SWMS) financed by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

The installation of the AWS is with the vision to adapt a technology inspired by Australia’s National Center for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA).

Australia itself has an average cane yield of 91 MT of cane per hectare (with yield reaching to 120 MT per hectare).  Its sugar export hit $1.8 billion in 2015-2016, making Australia world’s third largest sugar exporter.

Australian farmers use internet-enabled sensing technologies and can turn on or off irrigation system from their homes as they monitor farm data and give remote instruction on irrigation.

“Technology is already in the hands of farmers in Australia.  They have a soil-crop-weather simulation model where farmers can expect this amount of growth response in plant when you give this amount of irrigation,”said Espino.

The irrigation scheduling system maximizes use of water—delivers water to plants only when it is needed—when soil moisture is already low.

Sub-surface driplines

In the Floridablanca pilot farm, the WRMC project  installed drip lines 30 CM (centimetre) below the ground. It also installed soil moisture sensor around 50 CM below the ground – under the seedpiece.

This way, the sugarcane farms barely had weeds because water is underneath the ground.

The concept of automated irrigation involves the sensor’s ability to detect low soil moisture underground.  When needed, water may be delivered to the root system via the driplines when a certain low soil moisture level (as programmed) is hit.

As Australian farms already use solar powered pumping system for irrigation, Espino said the Department of Agriculture may soon have an extensive program to introduce solar-powered irrigation systems too.

“As researchers we should open our minds, so we can find solutions on how to improve farm operation in order to efficiently use resources, and for farmers to have higher income and increase yield  for food security,” he said.

Furrow irrigation

WRMC found out that smart irrigation technologies will easily raise sugarcane yield by 30%.

Non-irrigated lands give a yield of just 65 MT per hectare compared to 100 MT for irrigated lands. Moreover, its field experimentation showed that furrow irrigation gives the best yield and irrigation efficiency compared to drip irrigation.

Furrow irrigated sugarcane land yielded the highest range of 189,580 to 199,250 kilos per hectare. Harvest from drip irrigation only ranged at 145,460 to 173,080 per hectare. However, drip irrigation saved 68% of water compared to furrow irrigation.

Industry roadmap

The sugar sector is implementing irrigation programs  in light of a development plan called “Strategically Diversified Sugarcane Industry by 2024” under the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015.

This industry roadmap is a grand vision to develop sugarcane as input to the following:

1.      Highly efficient sugar mills

2.      20 bioethanol distillers supplying 20% of the country’s bioethanol requirement

3.      Sugar mills that generate 500 megawatts or MW of electricity

4.      Specialty Sugar, biowater, and bioplastics

WRMC’s project revealed that there is a significant 45-60% increase in sugarcane yield in irrigated sugarcane farms compared to non-irrigated ones.

This is based on a baseline study conducted by WRMC  involving 120 respondent-sugarcane farmers from Pampanga , Tarlac, Batangas and Negros Occidental.

Australian industry

The Australian sugarcane industry is a world leader as a result of the research and development  (R&D) aid of Sugar Research Australia (SRA) that enhanced farmer-entrepreneurs’ competitiveness.

It provides funding for R&D and facilitates dissemination of technology to farmers. Australia’s SRA promotes “targeted application of fertilizer, irrigation, agrochemicals, soil ameliorants or crop ripeners, and selective harvesting,” said Espino.

SRA provides farmer-entrepreneurs in Australia information including “remotely sensed imagery, digital elevation model, high resolution soil mapping, gamma radiometry, soil and tissue testing and crop assessment.

Remote sensors are used in Australia for “estimating crop yields, detecting diseases, identifying pest and weed coverage, evaluating uniformity of irrigation, observing changes in plant growth, assessing the impact of severe weather, and determining local and extent of crop stress.”

“Internet-enabled sensing and control is integrated into the irrigation system,” said Espino. “There is real-time optimisation of surface irrigation using ‘auto furrow.’”

Remote sensors also have uses in “producing farm level and block level yield maps and screening research and breeding trials.”

Australia’s weed sensing technology enables sensors to distinguish weeds from crops, thereby automating application of herbicide and saving 80% herbicide use.

Irrigation methods

Filipino sugarcane farmers use various irrigation methods, WRMC’s baseline study showed.

These are irrigation by gravity through polyethylene pipes; hand-held hose irrigation which is labor-intensive; and furrow irrigation which has low equipment costs and is simple to operate but takes 5 days to irrigate one hectare.

Filipino farmers also use hand-move sprinkler which takes shorter time – three hours to irrigate one hectare but also needs more farm hand (labor).

A more sophisticated irrigation system is the travelling boom sprinkler which irrigates even faster at 3.5 hectares per day.  But the equipment’s cost is high at P750,000 per unit.

Drip irrigation which efficiently distributes water direct to each plant through pipes that have holes right at the root system is an irrigation practice that also efficiently distributes fertilizer to each plant.

Given application of new technologies in irrigation, these methods will be enhanced under SIDA. (Growth Publishing for SEARCA)

For any questions or interview requests, please contact 0929-715-8669, 0917-102-6734 (Growth Publishing for SEARCA)

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The successful distribution of the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn has beefed up Philippines’ corn production leading to a potential export of 50,000 to 100,000 metric tons (MT) of grains possibly to South Korea and Malaysia. The country has so far exported 467 MT of corn silage this year to South Korea. Ploughshares Inc. exported to […

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In the context of sustainable agriculture, society should be able to meet both food and textile needs without compromising the future generations to do the same. While sustainable farming practices is relevant, it is also important to pay attention to the materials that we use to package agricultural products.

With the introduction of synthetic polypropylene as packaging material, sacks made from natural fibers including jute and kenaf are slowly being neglected by farmers. The preference for cheaper alternative became the new norm.

As the world starts to realize the negative effects of using synthetic materials to the environment, using eco-friendly materials becomes an efficient and sustainable alternative. Sacks made from jute, kenaf, and other natural fibers are slowly making a comeback.

Aside from being biodegradable and reusable, jute sacks can preserve the quality and germination capability of grain commodities intact as air can pass through the bags easily. It can protect grains from heat and sunlight as well. Unlike its synthetic counterpart, jute sack is easier to handle because it does not slip off when stacked. Another advantage is that its production does not require the use of harmful chemical.

“These natural fibers (i.e. jute, abaca, coir kenaf and sisal) are of vital importance to the livelihood and food security of farmers in some of the poorest regions of the world. They provide employment for low-income populations in rural areas while contributing to food security in times of drought,” said Kaison Chang, senior economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is a cash crop for millions of poor and marginal farm families of South Asian countries according to reports.

Jute production in the Philippines

Known as the “golden fiber,” jute fiber is extracted from the bark of two closely related annual herbaceous species, Corchorus capsularis L. and Corchorus olitorius L. belonging to the Tiliceae family. It thrives in tropical lowland areas with humidity of 60-90 percent. Jute is a rainfed crop with little need for fertilizers or pesticides.Cultivating jute also enriches the fertility of soil for the next crop.

In the Philippines, the last recorded jute production was in 2008 according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. In their database, North Cotabato and Cagayan were the only provinces that have reported jute production. According to the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, the top producers of saluyot in 2006 were Ilocos region, particularly Pangasinan; and Western Visayas.

Under Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol’s directives, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) and the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) were tasked to study the jute industry particularly jute as a source of natural fiber for packaging material. The instruction was to explore the commodity and the mechanisms that will facilitate import substitution of jute sack.

Likewise, the Bicol Integrated Agricultural Research Center (BIARC) of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) 5, embarked on a study that aims to determine the current status of jute production in the Bicol region.

PhilFIDA’s research initiative on jute as materials for packaging

According to Dr. Remedios V. Abgona, chief of the Fiber Utilization and Technology Division of PhilFIDA and project leader, “in the Philippines, the coffee and cacao growers are one of the major users of sacks for packaging coffee and cacao beans. With the growing demand for these commodities, requirement for packaging materials will also follow.” However, the only jute sack mill, Mackie Industries, in the Philippines closed down many years ago.

According to Joel Lumagbas, one of the board members of Philippine Coffee Board Inc., there is a law by the International Coffee Organization specifies that the packaging material to be used for exportation of coffee is jute sack with 60 kilogram capacity. The project found that local coffee and cacao growers import jute sacks from other countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India.

Part of PhilFIDA’s study is to determine the availability and consumption of jute, jute sack, and other products (imported and local) in the Philippines. The research team found that in Nueva Ecija, jute is primarily cultivated for food consumption. Moreover, interviewed coffee growers and associations that use jute sack as packaging material for their commodity expressed their concerns. Jute sacks tend to grow molds faster. The fabric easily loosens even if they use brand new sacks. It also gets heavier when wet. Most of the interviewed participants shared that the lack of affordable and quality jute sack in their area is their main problem with jute sack as packaging material for their commodities.

According to Dr. Abgona, “one of the advantages of using jute sack is it prevents moisture accumulation in dried beans and the air in the sack can circulate freely. Molds tend to grow faster only in wet jute.” She also shared that, “woven jute fabrics are more durable compared to synthetic materials. [However,] improper handling can lead to the early deterioration of the quality of jute sack.” She also explained that, “jute sack is porous, so it will easily absorb and retain water; [thereby making it heavier]. But, this situation happens only if the sacks are not properly stored,” shared Dr. Abgona.

Hopefully, through the study, PhilFIDA aims “to provide the government as well as prospective investors the needed information on jute fiber production for policy formulation, decision making and needed interventions for jute production and its consideration as packaging material,” ended Dr. Abgona. ### by Rena S. Hermoso, bar.gov.ph

For more information:

Dr. Remedios V. Abgona
Chief, Fiber Utilization and Technology Division
Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority
email: philfidaoed@yahoo.com/ftud­_fida@yahoo.com
phone: 273 2474 local 2681

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People are becoming more conscious in using food products that are not only healthy but are also natural and organic. This is the reason why the demand for coconut sugar has been on a steady rise since it was first introduced to the public’s eye.

The advantage of coco sugar is its low Glycemic Index (GI) compared to the conventional table sugar that is often sold in the market. Coco sugar is the ideal alternative sweetener for people with diabetes.

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), through its National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP), has been funding various research and development (R&D) initiatives in support to the product development and promotion of coco sugar.

As early as 2006, BAR in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) embarked in a project that will boost coco sugar as an income-generating enterprise for village-level production. Through the support of BAR, the production process of coconut sap sugar was standardized and the product characterized. The project fine-tuned the technology and developed the protocol for coconut sap sugar production.

Through the project, a women's group called the “Aroman Natural Food Producers Multipurpose Cooperative” was established in North Cotabato. The Cooperative applied their coconut sap sugar for Organic Certification to further boost the quality of the product commanding a high demand both globally and locally.

With the great potential of coco sugar and its increasing demand in the market, BAR embarked on another project to further intensify the promotion of coco sugar. In 2012, BAR partnered with the Quezon Agricultural Research and Experiment Station (QARES) and the local government unit (LGU) of Quezon to implement the project titled, Production, Promotion, and Commercialization of Coconut Sap Sugar in the Province of Quezon”.

The project aimed to increase the coconut farmers’ income, create employment, and sustain the coconut industry as the municipality’s major source of income. The project was able to establish technology demonstrations sites for coconut production, and later on expanded these sites outside the municipality.

Farmers were also capacitated through the conduct of trainings on production, technology transfer, and value-addition of coconut sap sugar production.

Currently, the project team is able to increase its production volume and improved the quality of product development.

The project has resulted to a significant increase in the income of the farmers, of which one farmer-cooperator earned an average gross yearly income of PhP 877,500 from coco sap sugar production alone. (Patrick Raymund A. Lesaca and Rita T. dela Cruz, DA-BAR)

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Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), a tropical fruit known for its white, juicy flesh and dark purple rind, is usually in season from August to September only. But with the off-season mangosteen production and management technology developed by the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) 11, the tropical fruit can now be enjoyed year-round.

Funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), the production of off-season mangosteen was made possible through a project, “Development of Package of Technologies for Off-Season Production of Mangosteen.”

The research project was conducted from January 2015 to January 2019 at Davao Agricultural Research Central Experiment Station (DARCES) Manambulan, Tugbok District in Davao City, yielding favourable results that will benefit both the farmers and consumers.

Thinking beyond the perspective of the consumers, the farmers can now set an efficient production schedule wherein they can sell the product from Php 35 per kilo for in-season mangosteen to Php 250 per kilo for off-season mangosteen. This is an estimated 148 percent return of investment.

Part of the project was also the development of information, education and communication (IEC) materials on the package of technology (POT). These IEC materials were distributed during the farmer’s field day and are available at the Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center of DA-RFO 11, for free to those who are interested.

On 17 May 2019, DA-RFO 11 will be holding the Grand Farmer’s Fiesta as part of the celebration of the Farmers and Fisherfolk’s Month. DARCES will be opening its demonstration farm in Manambulan, Tugbok District in Davao City to showcase the technology. Likewise, 200 copies of IEC materials on off-season mangosteen technology will also be distributed on 27 September 2019 during the Research Division Anniversary and Farmer’s Field Day activities. ### (Clarisse Mae N. Abao)

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Carrot Production Guide for Beginners

Choosing the Materials for Tea Manure

Materials Needed for Making Tea Manure

Steps in Making Tea Manure

Uses and Rates of Application of Tea Manure

Advantages of Producing Tea Manure

Advantages of using Tea Manure

An ASEAN market access program aims to close a wide gap in the contribution to GDP of extremely poor regions such as the Muslim region’s minuscule 1% compared to the National Capital Region’s 36%.

Data presented to a market integration program of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study & Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) showed eight regions have been pathetically laggard in contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP) from 2010 to 2016.

The Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) only had a 1% share to GDP as the region (Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur) is conflict-affected, Philippine Statistics Authority record showed.

But so was Region 13 (Agusan & Surigao provinces, Butuan, Dinagat Is.) which also had just a 1% GDP share.

Other regions that merely had a 2% GDP share are Regions 2 (Santiago, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan, Isabela)  4B (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan)  5 (Bicol), 8 (Samar, Leyte), 9 (Zamboanga), and Cordillera Admin. Region (Abra,Apayao, Benguet, Kalinga, Mt. Province).

The aim of Agricultural Transformation & Market Integration (ATMI), funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and co-implemented by SEARCA, is to help bring together the production of small farmers.

SEARCA Director Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. said the project could bring benefits to farmers in light of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

“The challenge is for varied institutions and stakeholders, especially smallholder farmers and small-scale rural entrepreneurs, to step up and maximize the benefits of borderless trade,” said Saguiguit.

When consolidated, their small produce can be bulkier—enough to supply to big markets (supermarkets).

ATMI, a $2.5 million study program also co-implemented by the International Food Policy Research Institute, will identify what small farmers need in order take bigger roles in an entire “value chain”—all activities involved from the idea of a product to its delivery to consumers.

Nieva T. Natural, Department of Agriculture Planning chief, said during SEARCA’s ATMI inception program that in the case of coffee, its value chain involves 28,000 farmers, 100 farmers’ associations, 200 microprocessors, 28 processors, 12 nursery operators, and 100 agriculture stores.

The chain involves provision of seeds, land preparation, processing of the coffee bean, roasting of the beans, and trading. It involves coffee bean traders like Nestle, roasters, and institutional/household buyers.

Avinash Kishore of IFPRI said small farmers can grow in the bigger value chain through these market integration drivers:

•  Improved infrastructure and innovations (containers) reduce transport costs

•  Better communications that facilitate coordination and global value-chains

•  International trade and intra-national policy changes that reduce trade barriers

“Market integration is the degree of exchange of goods and services between two or more regions,” said Kishore.

A project related to ATMI which must serving as model for other market integration program is the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) approved by the Provincial Development Council.

“PCIPs are being used to generate more investments and attention from other agencies and financing windows to promote priority commodities,” Natural said.

For the poorest regions, increased value chain involvement of small farmers are being done under the approved PCIP for the following -- abaca, Cavendish banana, and oil palm in ARMM and Region 13.

Other assistance in the form of farm to market roads, irrigation, credit for microenterprises, machines are extended by the Philippine Rural Development Programs to farmers involved in citrus, dairy, upland rice (Region 2) and arrowroot,banana chips, calamansi, cashew, cassava chips, coconut, mango, onion seaweeds, and tuna (Region 4B).

Among top commodities for value chain enhancement in Region 5 under the same approved PCIP are abaca, cassava, coconut, crablet, goat, pili, pineapple, seaweeds, and sweet potato.

For Region 8, interventions will be for farmers that are into banana and coconut, and Region 9, rubber.   For Cordillera, help will be for banana, ube, coffee, mango, potato, cardaba,and pigmented rice.

Kishore showed the Philippines fell behind Vietnam in annual growth in food production from 2000 to 2013.

Philippines’ production of vegetables grew at 1.9%; fruit,3%; meat, 3.2%; fish, 2.4%; eggs,3.6%,and milk5.5%.

Vietnam’s growth was far more impressive—vegetables, 6.6%; fruit, 3.5%; meat, 6.1%; fish,7.4%; eggs, 5.7%; and milk, 13.3%.  (Growth Publishing for SEARCA)