The Department of Agriculture (DA) projects greater production output for rubber, livestock, poultry and aquaculture as consequence of several enhancement programs prepared by the agency.
Last week, the DA approved the allocation of P110 million additional funds requested by the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI) to treat infected rubber plantations in Basilan in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM).
The agency said a supplemental budget is required following the outbreak of Pestalotiopsis disease in more than 800 hectares plantation of rubber trees in the province.
Under a one-year treatment plan, the rubber trees will undergo mist fogging, drone aerial spraying of fungicide, fertilization and weed management as the disease can co-infect other pathogens and may cross-infect other crops such as mango and palms which are also massively produced in BARMM.
The DA said the disease can cause a gradual falling of leaves and, if left untreated, can cause the tree to become leafless and result in the decrease in the canopy of the rubber plant and its latex production.
Given the degree of infection, PRRI will set out a team of experts to oversee the treatment of the affected plantations in coordination with the provincial government of Basilan.
DA said the move is also crucial as the disease also destroyed rubber plantations in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other rubber-producing Asian countries.
The agency is also prepared to collaborate with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp. (CPF) to benefit the local livestock, poultry and aquaculture industries.
DA said a meeting led by Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban alongside representatives of DBP and CPF was set last week to formulate an expanded financing program assisting stakeholders in identifying priority areas nationwide.
Through the program, small farmers and fisherfolk, organized or clustered farmers’ and fisherfolk’s cooperatives and associations, as well as medium- and large-scale enterprises will avail financing, marketing and technical assistance to improve their production.
Panganiban, however, said the DA is still determining the target number of beneficiaries, investment requirements and areas for expansion.
In 2021, the DA, DBP and CPF, also partnered in launching the Swine Rehabilitation, Repopulation and Recovery Credit program in support of the effort to revive the local hog industry.
