Abaca diseases targeted in Leyte farms

published November 12, 2009 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY - The national government is scheduled to complete this month the P7-million eradication campaign against damaging abaca diseases in one city and three towns of Leyte Island.

“About 80% of the affected farms have been treated. We are positive that there will be no more recurrence with the application of new technology in fighting the virus,” said Romeo O. Bordeos, Jr., abaca disease management project director of the Department of Agriculture.

The campaign focused on the villages of Baybay and Mahaplag in Leyte as well as in Sogod, and Maasin City in Southern Leyte. Some 1,700 hectares of abaca farms in these areas were infested with abaca mosaic, bunchy-top and tract mosaic diseases.

Mr. Bordeos said in an interview that Eastern Visayas region received the highest budget allocation for the disease eradication drive that started in July.

Under the program, the government shifted from the traditional treatment practices. Researchers have developed a technique in eradicating virus-infected abaca plants with the use of herbicide-impregnated sticks.

The technique involves the soaking of the stick in herbicide solution and then inserting this in the base of the infected abaca plant.

“We have an impact evaluation after the treatment to prevent any recurrence in affected areas,” Mr. Bordeos said.

Infected abaca plants were also reported in the towns of Abuyog, Burauen, Hilongos, Inopacan, Julita, Matalom, Hindang and Bato in Leyte as well as in Bontoc, Padre Burgos, Malitbog, Libagon, Saint Bernard, Tomas Oppus, Hinunangan and Silago in Southern Leyte.

The disease was found in close to 10,000 hectares of abaca farm areas in Leyte, affecting the livelihood of over 7,000 abaca farmers.

The entire Samar Island and Biliran province have remained disease-free, prompting the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) to concentrate expansion in these areas.

FIDA Regional Director Jeffrey G. Espena said that eradication activities in mildly infested areas are being funded by the respective local government units.

“What we’ve been doing is to expand to disease-free areas and concentrate treatment in affected farms. We don’t have to stop because of the disease,” Mr. Espena added.

Of the 2,318 hectares eyed for expansion this year, 1,000 hectares are in Northern Samar, 400 hectares in Biliran, 300 hectares in Leyte, 269 hectares in Southern Leyte, 200 hectares in Easter Samar and 200 hectares in Samar.

“If we don’t act now, abaca farmers will lose their source of livelihood in less than 15 years. We want to save the abaca since we produce one of the world’s best quality fibers,” he said.

Eastern Visayas remains the top abaca-producing region in the country with an average annual output of 28,000 metric tons, contributing 40% of the country’s total yearly production.-Sarwell Q. Meniano