Completion of post-Yolanda coco replanting eyed in 2017

TACLOBAN CITY, May 26 (PNA) –- The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is eyeing to complete the post-Yolanda replanting in Eastern Visayas by 2017, paving the way for recovery of the coconut industry in five years.

PCA Regional Manager Joel Pilapil said that last year, 4.3 million trees were planted in farms ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda. For 2016, the target is to plant 4.5 million trees.

“The remaining of the 10 million trees target will all be planted in 2017 to complete our replanting activities,” Pilapil told PNA.

Some 13 million coconut trees in the region were either uprooted or sheared by the monster typhoon in 2013, with no chance of recovery. However, only 10 million trees are being targeted for replanting, citing cultural management and variety considerations.

“We will follow the ideal density of 100 trees per hectare. Before Yolanda hit us, some farmers cultivate 200 to 300 trees per hectare,” Pilapil said.

With the scarcity of planting materials from local sources, the region gets supplies from PCA-operated nurseries in Davao, Zamboanga, Cotabato and Bohol.

The program involves replacement of totally damaged coconut trees through replanting, using tall or dwarf varieties. A new planting scheme was introduced – by group of three’s in triangular pattern equivalent to 192 trees per hectare.

The PCA also provides grant-in-kind of PHP30 per tree or PHP3,000 per hectare as incentive for labor in planting.

Eastern Visayas, with an annual average yield of 1 billion nuts, reported 33.82 million affected trees, almost half of the previously 72.75 million thriving coconut trees. (PNA)

JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO