January 28, 2012  !:15 am
Dear Ms. Hamera,
     My name is Elmor Sudara residing in PPC. I have five hectares of land to be planted with rubber trees at Malinao, Narra. I know that Aborlan is my neighbor. It is good to know that your rubber trees are ready to be tapped. What clone do you have? I sent my brother to Engr. Sampayan a road from Abo-abo going up to Quezon. Ask around from that place they will point you to the biggest and oldest rubber plantation in Palawan ( I think ). He will help you about tapping, latex and processing.  
CHECK THE LINK BELOW.
    That was 3 MONTHS AGO, when my brother visited Engr. Sampayan's rubber tree plantation.     I would like to visit your place to see your rubber trees. Please... 
   There is one plantation at Macarascas too.   They are selling rubber plant materials, I've heard. 

    http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.241736569217472.58940.100001433932418&type=3

I hope that the link will help you as well as Engr. Sampayan. If you need help  anything about rubber, just askI will research for you...
                                                                                        Happy to be your rubber tree neighbor,
                                                                                         Elmor

balita.ph; January 25, 2012 11:09 pm 
SORSOGON CITY, Jan. 25 – The Philippines will be self sufficient in rice as President Benigno Aquino III reaches  the half-way mark of his term, the head of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said here on Wednesday.
“We are working on it intensively and we are very optimistic that on the third year of the Aquino presidency next year, the NIA would be able to complete its target of irrigating a total of 250,000 hectares of irrigable lands throughout the country. With that, rice production would be enough to meet the requirement, according to NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel.
Nangel met here on Tuesday afternoon with about 200 heads of irrigator’s association from the provinces of Masbate and Sorsogon to lay down the plans and programs of the NIA in the area for this year until next year and hear directly from them the sentiments of the sector.
Before the meeting, Nangel, ushered by NIA regional director for Bicol William Ragodon toured several rice producing villages that are target sites for the agency’s projects, including those that are located in the “guerilla zones” of Sorsogon to find out for himself the needs for irrigation in the area.
“I go around to oversee the readiness of line items and I am pleased by the receptiveness of our local irrigators on the programs of the NIA and by that, we are certain that implementations of our projects this year and onward will be smooth sailing,” according to Ragodon.
Nangel said the Department of Agriculture (DA) through Sec. Proceso Alcala has provided NIA this year with a budget of P24.5 billion for the construction of new irrigation systems that would cover 87,405 hectares (has), restore non-operation structures for 57,199 has. and rehabilitate existing ones to service 79,246 has. for a total of 224,850 has. of service area nationwide.
With that, he said that what would be remaining of the 250,000 has. of the country’s irrigable lands would only be 25,150 has. which certainly will be irrigated next year given the assurance of substantial funds.
Achieving the irrigation target of over 224,000 has. for 2012 would mean rice production of 18.75 million metric tons (mts) as against the national requirement of 20.05 million mts or a deficiency reduced from 2.46 mts in 2011 to only 1.3 million mts., the NIA administrator said.
“Then next year, when we are able to complete the irrigation systems for all those irrigable lands within the target, our rice production would be 20.44 million mts as against the national requirement of the same volume.
That is rice self-sufficiency (RSS) attained during the first half of the Aquino administration, in short,” he stressed.
Irrigated rice lands, Nangel said offer three cropping seasons—two regular planting seasons and one ratooning which the DA is promoting over these areas.
Ratooning which is commonly being practiced on sugar cane, banana and pineapple is also applicable on rice through the modern technology developed by the DA. It requires no more replanting as all it takes is cleaning of the field after harvest and applying fertilizer on the newly harvested old plant, he explained.
This process could produce at least 50 more cavans of palay per hectare without the burden of another tedious land preparation and fixing new seedlings, he added.
In 2013, Nangel said the NIA will not only build dams and irrigation canals but also solar drying pavements over dams and along canals, mini-hydro power facilities using its dams and produce potable water from these irrigation systems.
The solar drying pavements would be an initiative of the DA and NIA while the mini-hydro plants will be tied up with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the potable water system, with the local government units (LGUs) and the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). “All these are for the benefit of the farmers,” he said. [by: By Danny O. Calleja (PNA) LAP/LQ/DOC/cbd/]
Source: PHL to attain rice sufficiency in 2013 – NIA

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:13 AM on 3rd January 2012

Scientists have genetically engineered silkworms to make artificial spider silk.

It is hoped the breakthrough could lead to the development of stronger fibres for textiles, bandages for burn victims and bullet-proof vests.

The GM silkworms spin tough fibres containing spider silk proteins that are more elastic and extensible, making it more suitable for use in a range of medical applications.



Territorialism and cannibalism among spiders pose challenges to spider farming as a viable means of manufacturing silk.

Dr Donald Jarvis, of the University of Wyoming in the United States, and colleagues created transgenic silkworms expressing spider gene sequences.

Spider silk proteins have been long produced in transgenic bacterial, yeast, plant, insect and mammalian cells.

However, previous attempts to incorporate them into fibres spun by silkworms led to relatively low yields.

But the new technique, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, led to fibres at least as tough as spider silk and stronger than those spun by silkworms.

So silkworms may be used at factories for manufacturing tough silk fibres containing spider silk proteins, said the researchers.

Dr Jarvis said: 'Spider silks have enormous potential as biomaterials for various applications, but serious obstacles to spider farming preclude the natural manufacturing approach.

'Thus, there is a need to develop an effective biotechnological approach for spider silk fibre production.

In addition to being used as sutures, silk fibres hold great potential as biomaterials for wound dressings, artificial ligaments, tendons, tissue scaffolds, microcapsules, and other applications.

'Silkworms are the current biological source of silk sutures, but spider silk fibres have superior mechanical properties that are ideal for procedures requiring finer sutures, such as ocular, neurological, and cosmetic surgeries.

'These results demonstrate that silkworms can be engineered to manufacture composite silk fibres containing stably integrated spider silk protein sequences, which significantly improve the overall mechanical properties of the parental silkworm silk fibres.

Read more: A fabric 'stronger than steel': Scientists crack how to 'farm' spider's webs by making silkworms do the work

mb.com.ph; January 11, 2012, 4:58pm
MANILA, Philippines —  An ongoing research on forage crops for goats points to a very promising potential of Indigofera as an excellent source of protein for both the dairy and meat type goats.
The study is being undertaken at the Alaminos Goat Farm (AGF) in Alaminos, Laguna, operated by the Almeda family, Rene and his two sons Arthur and Toti. Indigofera is an imported leguminous tree that produces a lot of herbage relished by goats.
In a recent analysis, the Indigofera was found to have a higher protein content than malunggay and mulberry. It was found to contain 27.6 percent protein compared to 27.1 percent of malunggay and 20.4 percent of mulberry. Both malunggay and mulberry are also being tested for their efficacy as animal feed.
Indigofera has also been found to be a fast grower and high-yielder. To determine the potential yield of Indigofera on a per hectare basis, a trial plot of 10 square meters was established where 24 seedlings were planted on May 25, 2011. Five months later, on October 25, the first cutting was made and the 24 trees yielded 12 kilos. Two months later, the second cutting was made. This time the trees yielded 20.3 kilos.
Rene Almeda says that at 20,000 trees per hectare after two cuttings a potential yield of 27,000 kilos can be assumed. With the succeeding cuttings every one or two months, the yield could even increase.
Indigofera is the main forage species that the Almedas are growing in their Alaminos Salad Garden. The 30 long plots that they have planted to different forage plants are where they cut the green feeds that they give to their dairy goats. Each day, they harvest from one plot.
Indigofera is one species that many animal scientists of the government agencies had previously ignored. They had probably assumed that Indigofera was not palatable for small ruminants. It was not included in the book on goat raising published by the PCARRD.
Rene said that he saw the research report from Vietnam which showed that Indigofera has a high protein content. He then included it in their salad garden. It turned out that the goats loved to eat Indigofera, especially if the leafy branches are harvested every month. Today, in their research, shredded Indigofera is mixed with the concentrate ration at the rate of 30 percent.
Their caretaker had observed that every time he gave the dairy goats Indigofera, their milk yield increased. This has led the Almedas to conduct the research in cooperation with Remedios Acacio of the Bureau of Animal Industry.
One clear advantage of Indigofera over other forage species like malunggay is that it is high yielding and it is much easier to establish and maintain. Once established, it can be easily maintained by regular fertilization with goat manure and irrigation during the dry months.
Indigofera can be easily multiplied by seed. During the last Agrilink trade show, the Almedas were able to dispose of 5,000 seedlings they propagated in their farm. The Indigofera produces a lot of seeds which germinate very easily. To produce seeds, the trees must be left to grow without harvesting the leafy branches for feeding to the animals. (By ZAC B. SARIAN)
Source: Forage crop for goats promising

Balita.ph- January 11, 2012 11:35 pm
By Leonardo V. Micua

DAGUPAN CITY, Jan. 11 — A comprehensive development program for shellfish is set to kick off in Dagupan this month under the auspices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), aiming to modernize the traditional backyard type of raising known by farmers in order to produce commodities in larger commercial scale and for export.

This was disclosed by Dr. Westly Rosario, chief of the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC), who submitted the program during a national conference of BFAR in Antipolo City last week.

Rosario said he is also going to submit the same proposal to the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) which may provide grants in the conduct of a more sophisticated research for the project.

Korea is being eyed as a major importer of shellfishes that will be produced in the Philippines.

Stressing that there is big money in oysters, mussels, scallops and other shellfishes but sadly this is not being given due attention in the country, Rosario said NIFTDC will spearhead the research on shellfish this year to find out the proper technology in raising the commodity in the country’s coastline.

However, there is a need for NIFTDC, the leading research facility of BFAR based in Dagupan, to first determine the most feasible areas in the entire coastline all over the country where shellfish farms can be located and where the modern type of culture now in use in other countries would be introduced.

The research said Rosario shall pinpoint areas where there is high concentration of heavy metals, which are a no-no for raising bivalves such as oysters, mussels and scallops.

On oysters, NIFTDC is eyeing to transport to its hatchery here the Talabang Tsinelas being raised in Cagayan and which grows up to the size of a man’s sandal when it matures.

The center will allow the Talabang Tsinelas to lay their eggs in hatchery condition to find out the best method of culture that can be adopted and soon disperse these to some coastal areas, starting in Pangasinan, to replace the present smaller specie in use.

“Through the research, we can help enhance shellfish culture and at the same time increase food for the Filipinos, provide livelihood for them and create new businesses that could also earn additional foreign exchange for the country,” he said.

On the other hand, he said that mussels have high export potential as the dried ones fetch up to P4,000 per kilo in China and Korea, of which this commodity is regarded as medicinal.

Thus there is a need to find the most appropriate technology in growing shellfish. Once it is found, it will be disseminated to the farmers through training programs to be conducted by NIFTDC's Asian Fisheries Academy.
Rosario tagged the towns of Bolinao and Anda as having the highest potential to produce green mussels in commercial quantity, throughout Pangasinan, yet only a few people are taking advantage of this.

These two towns are into aquaculture, producing milkfish, siganid (malaga), sea bass, grouper (lapu-lapu) and other species.

The other important reason the program was proposed, he revealed, is the natural capacity of shellfishes to clean rivers as these feed on plankton or microscopic plants and animals that are sometimes produced through pollution and from household and aquaculture wastes.

(PNA)LAP/LAM/Lvm/lvmicua/rma

Source: National research on shellfish to formally kick off in Dagupan

Hi Marj!

My father-in-law owned 3-ha rubber in Aborlan, Palawan and about to harvest this year. Our problem is that we are not yet trained on proper tapping of rubber and processing of its latex. Please help us on where we can avail the training on rubber tapping and processing in Palawan. Thank you and god bless.

Ms. Hamera

balita.ph; January 4, 2012 12:32 pm

DAGUPAN CITY, Jan. 4 — The Dagupan-based National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC) will focus on the study of shellfishes this year in a bid to discover the appropriate technology in raising this commodity.

This will also ensure more food in the Filipino dining table and make this another export product of the country.
Dr. Westly Rosario, NIFTDC chief, revealed that shellfishes have a big potential to become one of the export commodities in the Philippines because these are regarded in some countries as medicinal.

But sadly, the Philippines is still using the crude method in raising the commodity yet.

Thus, he said, the need to find the proper technology in growing oysters, mussels, clams and scallops as farmers, who are raising the commodity only as a backyard industry, sadly lack the proper know-how in growing shellfishes in commercial scale.

Rosario said he submitted to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in late 2011 a proposal for the conduct of a comprehensive study on shellfishes focusing on the development of these species in order to develop a culture method patterned from those in other countries now exporting the commodity.

“Hopefully with this study, we can develop a high-impact project that could be introduced to the farmers throughout the country, to make it easier for them to raise seashells in bigger quantities for export abroad,” Rosario added.

Noting that shellfish culture in the country is undertaken by mostly marginal farmers, Rosario expressed optimism that the country has a potential to become a top exporter of this commodity considering its long coastline where oysters, mussels, clams and scallops are now growing but only on limited scale.

He said NIFTDC will first conduct profiling of all areas where shellfishes are growing abundantly and with the help of its laboratory, will also pinpoint areas where there is big concentration of heavy metals where fish farmers should avoid.

Rosario said this is necessary to ensure that shellfishes would be grown only in areas where there is cleaner water so that the product can pass the strict standard imposed by importing countries.

Philippines does not export any shellfish yet, owing to the fact that the data on this product demanded by exporters are incomplete and still scattered, he said. Rosario added in this project, they want to put all things in their proper order.

At the same time, he admitted that Dagupan is being eyed as one of the areas where shellfishes may be grown in commercial scale.

It is for this reason it is included among the places to be profiled to ensure that the shellfishes that it will produce will really pass the standard of importing countries.

A national project, this research will first start in Luzon before it will expand to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Stressing the importance of the project, Rosario hinted the possibility that NIFTDC may seek a foreign grant to finance the comprehensive research on shellfishes to enlist the cooperation of fishery experts and scientists from other countries.

Seashells, he said, are more expensive than cucumber, another specie put on study by NIFTDC since two years ago. When completed, this could make it easier for fish farmers to raise this crop in the coastal areas.

As to the problem of red tide which is seasonally prevalent in some areas of the Philippines, Rosario is not a bit worried because its effect can be avoided by not harvesting when the marine phenomenon is in full bloom. [By Leonardo V. Micua (PNA) LDV/LVM/rma]

Source: Nationwide shellfish study underway

balita.ph; December 21, 2011 12:28 am

DAGUPAN CITY, Dec. 20 –The exotic aquarium fish called Red Pacu (Collusom bidens) can now be introduced sporadically in fresh water streams and lakes teeming with water hyacinths or water lilies through a method of culture called surgical stocking.

Director Westly Rosario, chief of the Dagupan-based National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC), said not all fresh water streams and lakes would be stocked with Red Pacu yet as environmentalists are still cautious of the possible effect of the fish to other plants, like rice.

It was learned that in a national fish symposium in Manila, a few regional directors of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) still issued some reservations about Red Pacu, fearing that if stocked in all fresh water fish farms, it would run berserk there and become uncontrollable.

But Dr. Rosario assured that Red Pacu would not follow the ways of the Giant Snails, which were introduced in 1990s, to boost the protein food of the Filipinos.

The reason for this is the fish sexually matures only after two to three years and when it does, it had already grown into one kilo and might have been entrapped by fish farmers and thrown over burning charcoal and eaten.

Red Pacu, a cousin of the deadly piranha, is herbivorous unlike the latter which is carnivorous. Pacu feeds only on plants, especially water hyacinths, and grows up to 0.6 meter when fully matured.

NIFTDC started conducting research on Red Pacu 10 years ago through some fingerlings turned over by a hobbyist.

These fingerlings grew into adults and with the use of hormones injected in the male and female species, the center was able to produce some offspring.

It was only during the Fish Conservation Week in October this year that NIFTDC finally introduced Red Pacu both as a food fish and cleaning agent in fresh water ponds.

Rosario admitted they have now actually started disseminating Red Pacu fingerlings in some fresh water bodies of Pangasinan to control the growth of unwanted weeds in their fish farms.

He said some people from Bayambang town came to the center and took some fingerlings to be seeded into their fresh water ponds which they wanted to be rid of water lilies.

At the same time, the fish can be introduced in some fresh water in Mindanao long been pestered by water hyacinths that often block the flow of water and cause floods.

As a cleaning agent, the fish can eat water lilies that impede the flow of water. At the same time, it can be caught by any means, including hook and line, with plant leaves as mere baits.

Water lilies, which are sometimes being dried, to become raw materials for handwoven items, are a bane to the growth of fish since they allow only little sunlight in the water, said Rosario.

As to the fear of environmentalists that the Red Pacu can later pose danger to all plants in the water, Rosario said that unless injected with hormones, the fish can sexually mature in two to three years.

That means that when it finds mate, the fish has grown to more than one kilo in weight and could have already been caught by farmers and already ended up as delicious fish stew or fried fish.

As shown during the Fish Conservation Week at the center, the fish can be cooked into several culinary delights, including "kare-kare", fillet and fish "shanghai".

Serving an aquarium fish when it is still young, the Red Pacu turns blackish and ugly during adulthood. [By Leonardo V. Micua (PNA) lvm/lvmicua/1840/rm]

Source: Red Pacu fish can now be propagated through surgical stocking

A FREE seminar on Backyard Fishpond and Community Aquaculture to be held on December 29, 2011 (2:00PM) at BFAR Provincial Office, Sorsogon City.Organized by Roselyn Huarde (09089783426), Registered Mobile Stockist of Victory Global Unlimited Systems, Incorporated - Bulan, Sorsogon.

For interested individuals, organizations, cooperatives and other parties who wish to attend said FREE SEMINAR, please contact me at 09995342374.

Balita.ph, December 13, 2011 12:06 am

ILOILO CITY, Dec. 12 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allotted some P21 million for the promotion and implementation of projects related to organic farming.

Agriculture regional technical director for operations Engr. Emelyn Recoter said the fund support for the program was only made available this year after the enactment of the Organic Act in 2010.

She said the fund will be used for the advocacy, organization of local technical working groups in various local government units (LGUs), fund support for organic programs, techno demo, among others.

“We would like to tap LGUs to organize their local technical committee up to the provincial level to come up with plan related to organic farming,” she said. “We are still at the organizational stage.”

Meanwhile, Recoter said the DA-Regional Field Unit 6 (DA-RFU 6) also provided shredder machines and night crawlers to farmers organization for them to come up with their own organic fertilizer.

Their production, however, is just enough for the organization and not sufficient yet to embark for commercial purposes. {(PNA)LDV/PGLena/vlo}

Source: DA allots P21M for organic farming program in W. Visayas

balita.ph: December 13, 2011 12:06 am

DAVAO CITY, Dec. 12 – A lawmaker is seeking the establishment of a banana research institute to address the concerns of banana farmers like the outbreak of a virulent fungus that can bring havoc to the 720-million-dollar banana industry in the country.

Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Lagdameo Jr., author of House Bill 5478, expressed concern over the recurrence of the uncontrollable spread of Panama disease, also known as fusarium wilt, a dreaded fungus that has already infested several banana plantations in Southern Mindanao.

“Panama disease has been dormant for about 50 years, but a virulent strain has now reappeared in plantations in the Philippines, having spread from Australia to countries in Southeast Asia and Taiwan,” Lagdameo said.
The bill seeks the creation of the National Banana Research Center in the Philippines that will take scientific research and analysis to further develop the banana industry.

Lagdameo urged the government to immediately take action to arrest the spread of fungal infestation as the livelihoods of thousands of banana farmers in the country are at stake.

Lagdameo further explained that the government stands to lose millions of pesos in taxes and fees if the banana industry suffers a slump in production.

“The banana industry is a very important source of income, employment and export earnings in the Philippines. The country’s banana industry provides employment to 240,000 workers and contributes P830 million in taxes to local government units,” he said.

Under the bill, the National Banana Research Center shall be responsible for integrating, collating and supporting studies on the banana industry as well as for intensifying research that may result in developing productive, high yielding good varieties of banana.

The center is also mandated to conduct comprehensive studies and scientific approaches to sustainable banana farming and enhance research on problems associated with the prevention of diseases that infest banana farms in order to lessen risks to health and the environment, among others.

Lagdameo said putting up a banana research institute will address the vital issues on food security and stability of the banana industry. [(PNA) LAP/Anthony S. Allada/ldp]

Source: Davao solon seeks banana research institute to help banana farmers to combat fungal infestation

balita.ph; November 26, 2011 12:59 am

MANILA, Nov. 24 – Department of Agriculture (DA) and small irrigators nationwide are meeting in Metro Manila to identify possible interventions for boosting performance of the country's small water impounding system associations (SWISAs) so agricultural production, including government's 2013 rice self-sufficiency bid, can be enhanced further.

"We want to strengthen SWISAs' performance," DA Sec. Proceso Alcala said Thursday during the opening of the two-day 1st National Summit for Small-Scale Irrigation Projects.

He said that the DA hoped to bring forth better organization of SWISAs so these groups could function as conduits through which government channels its assistance for agriculture.

Better organization will also enable SWISAs to improve operation and maintenance of respective small water impounding systems and small diversion dams.

Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM)director Dr. Silvino Tejada raised urgency for helping SWISAs, saying that monitoring shows these groups were becoming inactive in operating respective irrigation systems efficiently even if the facilities were still in good condition and operational.

"This is why we thought of holding the summit to discuss reasons for SWISAs' inactiveness and to see what interventions are possible so these groups can be active again," he said during the event.

Available DA partial report as of December 2010 shows only 205 or 47 percent of the country's 436 SWISAs are active.

"Reasons for this change of perspective are varied and need immediate attention by concerned government agencies if operation and maintenance of SWISAs are to be maintained," BSWM said.

DA is backing the plan to reinvigorate SWISAs, noting these were organized and registered with Securities and Exchange Commission so these can have the legal personality to officially transact with government particularly on financial and non-financial support for respective irrigation and production systems.[(PNA) RMA/CJT/utb]

Source: DA to enhance operation, maintenance of SWISA facilities

da.gov.ph; November 16 2011

Hailing the country’s rice scientists as heroes, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala last week gave initial marching orders to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to prepare for the day when the country will be exporting rice once again.

Speaking at the 26th anniversary celebration of PhilRice at the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija, Alcala said the Institute is effectively carrying out its role as government’s lead agency in rice science and development.

“Umulan man o umaraw, andiyan kayo na makibahagi sa adhikain ni Pangulo.Benigno S. Aquino III lalo na sa food security at sustainable ruraldevelopment. Kaya’t para sa akin, kayo ay tapat at mahusay na naglilingkod at hindi simpleng government employees lamang. Kayo’y maitututuring na din na mga bayani (PhilRice had steadily supported the government in helping the country achieve its goals in food security and sustainable rural development. You’re dedicated and efficient in serving the public. To me, you’re not simply employees.You’re heroes),” Alcala said.

During the program, the agriculture chief also gave awards in recognition of outstanding performance of officials and employees under the administration of Executive Director Dr. Eufemio Rasco.

He also vowed continued government support to the agency even after the country has achieved rice self-sufficiency by the end of 2013.

“When we start exporting rice, PhilRice will conduct researches on how to make our rice acceptable and adaptable in the international market,” Alcala said.

He noted PhilRice researches and programs vital in increasing rice productivity and in ensuring enough rice for every Filipino by 2013. These technologies include PalayCheck, Palayamanan, Leaf Color Chart (LCC) and Minus-one Element Technique (MOET).

Palaycheck is an integrated crop management system for rice while Palayamanan is a diversified integrated rice-based farming system. On the other hand, LCC and MOET are cost-saving and low-cost tools that aid farmers in determining the right application of fertilizers.

“Achieving rice self-sufficiency may not be that easy. About 20 typhoons annually hit our country and that we have to be more prepared with the possible occurrence of stronger typhoons, which the experts say are the results of climate change. We’re not also as lucky as Thailand and Vietnam as these countries have the Mekong River as
source of their irrigation,” Alcala said in Filipino.

With these challenges, he encouraged PhilRice to intensify the promotion of technologies and the use of certified and hybrid rice seeds.

PhilRice recommends the use of certified seeds as these seeds are pure, clean, and has a minimum germination rate of 89 percent. On the other hand, the cultivation of hybrid rice is promoted as it can increase farmers’ yield by at least 15 percent. ### (DA Information Service)

Reference: Executive Director Eufemio Rasco cp no. 09209702629

Source: Agri Chief Cites Rice Scientists as ‘Heroes’, Gives New Marching Orders

balita.ph; November 14, 2011 11:30 pm

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Nov. 14 – The provincial government of South Cotabato plans to establish a bamboo hub or center in a bid to further promote the development of the province’s thriving bamboo industry.

South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. said Monday he has directed the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) to conduct a study for the establishment of the bamboo hub and set some strategies and options for the procurement of the necessary equipment and operations of the facility.

“Our bamboo industry has tremendous opportunities for growth and we want to exploit that within the next few years,” the governor said.

Mary Jane Manlisis, PEMO senior environment specialist, they recently met with members of the newly-established South Cotabato Bamboo Industry Development Council to conceptualize the establishment of the proposed bamboo hub.

The council was earlier created pursuant to Executive Order 879, which provided for the creation of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council.

Manlisis said the council mainly aims to promote bamboo industry development projects and the use of bamboo for at least 25 percent of the desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools.

She said it is also promoting the utilization of bamboo for furniture, fixtures and other related requirements of government facilities.

Manlisis said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has allocated some P9.5 million for the establishment of a bamboo node, which primarily processes bamboos before it will be made as engineered tiles and bamboo planks for desks and furniture.

She said the fund will be used for the procurement of machines, tools and equipment for primary processing, kiln drying operation and final processing of planks and panel.

“DepEd South Cotabato has already committed to support the project by procuring at least 20 percent of the annual requirement for desks and arm chairs of public elementary and secondary schools in the province from the bamboo hub,” she said.

Manlisis said the provincial government has been the province’s 10 municipalities and lone city to set up their own bamboo nurseries and promote the planting of bamboo in their respective areas.

Presently, she said the province has at least 17 bamboo nurseries located in the municipalities of Lake Sebu, Tantangan, Tupi and Tampakan and in Koronadal City. [(PNA) LAP/FFC/AVE/HST]

Source: South Cotabato to establish bamboo hub

mb.com.ph; November 4, 2011, 3:34pm

MANILA, Philippines -- The government is establishing the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI) in a 1,000-hectare area in Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay. The site will be donated by local government unit in support of an industry that has the potential of contributing vastly to the country’s economy, according to Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. Rommel A. Jalosjos.

Strategically located near the Mindanao State University (MSU) campus in Naga, PRRI will help boost rubber's potential in light of industrial manufacturers' preference for nature-friendly materials as a climate change-mitigating effort.

PRRI will institutionalize and sustain researches funded by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR).

These include 10 programs spread across the rubber-growing provinces of Zamboanga, Cotabato, and Basi-lan, according to Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar, BAR director.

“PRRI should become at par with the rubber institutes in Malaysia, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China that have been developing new superior rubber varieties,” Eleazar said.

These research centers have produced rubber clones that are high-yielding, disease-resistant, and with reduced gestation period that allows latex extraction in 4.5 years, much shorter than the five to 10 years range.

BAR is supporting the issuance of the implementing rules and regulation for PRRI which will precede budget allocation, according to BAR Coordinator Rudy L. Galang.

“With the draft IRR to be submitted for approval by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, the national government will allocate a budget of P100 Million for PRRI for 2012, its first year of implementation. This is equivalent to one percent of the gross value added of rubber,” said Galang.

PRRI will enhance rubber research and development programs including establishment of a nursery or a garden for budwood to produce grafted planting materials.

To enhance farmers' management practices, they will be trained on fertilization, weed, insect, and disease control, control of mollusks and vertebrates, harvesting, and packing of budwoods and budsticks.

The facilities that will be available in the PRRI are tissue culture laboratory, rubber testing laboratory, product testing laboratory, seedling nurseries, germplasm collection, semi-processing plants, waste water collection and testing facilities. DA will share with PRRI the use of some of these facilities found in DA's provincial office in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

“What is important here is a good amount of land where we will test for superior varieties of rubber and grow massive amount of seedlings,” said Galang.

The country's average dry rubber yield at present is around 1.5 metric tons (MT) per hectare which is lower than the maximum potential of RRIM 600 of two MT per hectare per year.

The 1,000-hectare area will primarily be an experimental station for breeding and selection of high yielding cultivars.

“New genetic materials will be collected from rubber producing countries to enable plant breeders to develop new clones that will perform well even in non-traditional areas,” said Eleazar.

Source: Rubber research institute up soon

Balita- November 7, 2011 10:37 pm

MANILA, Nov. 7 – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is optimistic the country will be more able to produce rice despite onslaught of increasingly violent weather disturbances that experts link to climate change.

"I can see that in the future, flooding and typhoons will have lesser impact on farmers if we're able to introduce new rice varieties," said PhilRice Executive Director Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr.
He said newly developed varieties must be subjected to two-year tests before these are commercially introduced.

New varieties' performance during previous typhoons is raising hope for better sustaining palay production even during inclement weather.

"Roots and other parts of such plants are stronger – we saw these plants can recover," Rasco said.
Earlier, PhilRice reported the PSB Rc18-Sub1 rice variety withstood 14-hour flash floods from onslaught of typhoon 'Quiel' this year.

Citing reports from Edwin de Jesus, a farmer evaluating the rice line since June, PhilRice said PSB Rc18-Sub1 "didn't turn brownish and was spared from pests and stunted growth" even after being submerged in 1.5 meter-deep waters then.

PhilRice further said de Jesus' report shows submergence did not affect the line's grain density.

Such line also withstood the four-day flood typhoon 'Juaning' triggered last July, PhilRice added.

"PSB Rc18, a variety for irrigated lowland with an average yield of five tons per hectare, is infused with submergence tolerance gene or Sub1 for the improved variety to survive, grow and develop even after 14 days of complete water submergence at vegetative state," PhilRice said.

PhilRice noted International Rice Research Institute and University of California at Davis discovered the Sub1 gene in the Indian rice variety FR13A.

Rasco said PhilRice will continue promoting location-specific selection of rice varieties to maximize production.

"Varieties selected must be suited to when and where these will be planted," he said.

The Philippines is celebrating this November the annual National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM).
PhilRice earlier lined up activities for this year's NRAM celebration.

Such activities include the ceremonial harvesting at the rice garden in Rizal Park (Nov. 18), holding of the NRAM exhibit in Davao City (Nov. 22-24), the 16-page rice conservation comics' launching in Quezon City (Nov. 28 ) and a fun run in Manila on Dec. 3 to highlight need for non-wasteful rice consumption and diet diversification.

Diet diversification includes eating rice substitutes like corn, root crops and bananas.

Rasco said PhilRice will also spearhead during NRAM discussions on the rice industry situation, farmers' problems and other rice concerns. [(PNA) LDV/CJT/utb]

Source: PhilRice sees sustained rice production

balita.ph; November 3, 2011 9:45 pm

PILI, Camarines Sur, Nov. 2 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing commercial production of yacon as its Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) sees the great potential of the crop as another export commodity to Japan.

Japan already imports raw yacon from the Philippines as a succulent ready-to-eat product like raw singkamas–jicama or Mexican turnip– that the Japanese eat as salad and its other products had a good commercial potential when its phytochemical health components are emphasized, BAR Director Nicomedes Eleazar, in a statement here Wednesday said.

Yacon is a perennial plant traditionally grown for its crisp, sweet-tasting edible tuberous tubers that contain inulin, an indigestible sugar, which means that although they have a sweet flavor, the tubers contain fewer calories than expected. Apart from its being known as a regulator of blood sugar, yacon is also known for preventing colon cancer.

Inulins belong to a class of fiber called fructans and it is used as a storage for energy by some plants through the roots or rhizomes.

The BAR has been conducting research for yacon processing and organic farming of yacon may also be a focus of its commercialization as the Japan market discriminates in favor of organic food produced without much chemical fertilizer or pesticides, Eleazar said.

The processing will add value to the crop and will potentially increase farmers’ income in small-scale cropping systems where inputs like fertilizer are not a necessity, he added.

According to DA regional executive director for Bicol Jose Dayao here, yacon farming can be attractive to Bicol farmers. While sweet potato or camote, one of the region’s main products may just be priced P8 per kilo at farm gate, yacon’s price can peak to as high as P80 to P100 per kilo during off season.

As a largely agricultural region, Bicol had a big potential of becoming the country’s leading producer of yacon as its propagation roots grow just under the soil surface and produce new growing points that will become next year's aerial parts. It can be intercropped with coconut and pili, the two flagship products of the region, Dayao said.

Eleazar said producers of anti-diabetes yacon juice, tea, and wine eye the Japan market for their phytochemical-rich foods that are now being pilot-tested for commercial scale production citing an initiative of food science experts of the Nueva Vizcaya State University’s (NVSU) Technology Business Incubator (TBI).

NVSU is jumpstarting yacon’s commercial scale production through a bigger 100-kilo food processing from an earlier limited 10-kilo scale.“This volume will make commercial scale production more realistic than laboratory stage. It will be evaluated for ROI (return on investment),” he said.

NVSU is funding the pilot yacon production, while the BAR has a separate research using the Commission on Higher Education-funded P1.2 million TBI facilities.

Yacon’s other known health benefits due to its oligofructans and phenolic contents are skin rejuvenation, reduction of blood triglyceride level, and alleviation of hyperglycemia, kidney problems, and osteoporosis. [By Danny O. Calleja (PNA) LAP/LQ/DOC/cbd]

Source: DA pushes yacon production in Bicol for Japan market

balita.ph; October 26, 2011 10:15 pm

CEBU CITY, Oct. 26 – The newly-organized National Organic Agricultural Board (NOAB) is determined to help small farmers switch from regular farming methods to organic, a board member assured.

Rey Ramos Pedroso, a member of the NOAB, admitted that most farmers are hesitant, and often worry about capital before considering the switch to organic farming methods.

The NOAB, he said, was formed after Republic 10068 or the Philippine National Standards on Organic Agriculture Act, was enacted into law.

NOAB’s mandate is to form policies pertaining to organic farming standers, implement these standards and monitor farms to make sure they are complying.

Pedroso was keynote speaker during the recent Cebu Going Organic Conference.

He was also tasked by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala to deliver a speech at the conference.

Alcala, in his speech read by Pedroso, said the NOAB will also spearhead an intensified campaign to educate farmers and consumers on the benefits of organic farming.

He said there are efforts to secure funding for the expansion of organic farms in the country.

For 2011, Alcala said the department has set aside P900 million for policy formulation and accreditation, research and development, promotion of organic farming and organic inputs like fertilizer and other programs that would improve the prospect of delivery of goods to farmers and stakeholders.

He said the Plant Congress scheduled in Manila next month should help them in their mandate, as global and local updates on organic agriculture will be discussed.

”It includes a five-year roadmap for organic agriculture in the country which he believes will help them” achieve the objectives” of RA 10068.

While he admitted the organic movement in the country is still in its “formative years”, he is optimistic this will change in the coming years.

He added that initiatives like the Going Organic conference support the growth and development of the organic movement. [(PNA) LAP/EB/bh]

Source: New board to help farmers switch to organic way

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     Where are all of you rubber enthusiast? Let us help each other. Let's make rubber connect us.Check this out. Rubberpension.com . She is the one inviting me to visit her plantation in ThailandShe will show anybody everything about rubber.     Well it is up to you. There are people in PCAARRD interested about rubber. One from Mindanao offerringme budded saplings 35 pesos/plant RRIM 600 variety. Is this variety good?      Have a nice weekend every all.
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