PCA uses salt as fertilizer for coconut
05/07/2008
MAASIN CITY: The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) started shifting to sodium chloride for coconut trees in its farmers’ incentive project in the province.
Sodium chloride is household salt.
PCA-Maasin provincial agriculturist Manuel Sembrano said 210 hectares will be planted with 31,500 seednuts for the purpose and nourished with salt instead of the usual inorganic fertilizer.
The PCA incentive project for farmers was initially started in 18 towns around Southern Leyte by PCA techinicians, who will likewise oversee the undertaking and will involved some 50 farmers in seednuts production alone.
This project will involve three phases: procurement, planting and maturity.
Sembrano said that salt is a newly-discovered fertilizer for coconut trees, a product of a long research carried out by Dr. Severino Magat, PCA’s scientist officer.
“Salt fertilization, as has been observed in PCA demo farms, increased coconuts’ growth and yields, weight and thickness of the coconut meat, controls leafspot infection and enhance its tolerance to drought,” he added.
He explained that in seednut production, good quality matured coconuts, aged one year, should be planted arranged by rows, and covered with soil until germination of at least two feet.
At this stage the nuts will be ready for planting.
Online news contributor
Maasin City: The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) is calling farmers and residents to fill their vacant lots with fruit trees and vegetables as income generating ventures.
Daniel Mayorca, PAO head, said that his office has since adopted the “plant now, pay later” scheme but shifted to “cash basis” with regards to the disposal of seedlings.
Grafter large planting materials (LPM) for fruit tress are currently available from PAO nurseries in Maasin, Macrohon, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus and Bontoc are rambutan, lanzones, marang, durian and jackfruit.
Vegetable seedlings will be coming soon from the DA regional office inTacloban. All these vary in price.
A requisite for the LPMs is in a form of a letter request addressed to Gov. Damian Mercado, who will then approve and relay the letter to PAO for processing.
“We will first train planters before giving them the seedlings,” said said, “and we will limit the selling of fruit seedlings to ten, and then evaluate the progress of the planted seedlings after three months.”
The the purpose of the limitation, mayorca added, is to give others the chance to procure for themselves.
Mercado, for his part, said that in his previous stint as mayor of Maasin, he gave fruit seedlings to village officials for planting.
“Now the fruit trees have grown big and they are happy. They even sell it in the market,” he said.
Aside from fruit planting, PAO is busy distributing Bigante rice seedlings for cash.
Mayorca said sharing of farm outputs on rice is 70-30, with a third going to the farmer and the rest to the provincial government.
Mercado butted in, saying he plans to put up rice dryers in Bontoc, Anahawan, Libagon, Hinunangan, St. Bernard and Sogo.
THE PANGUIL BAY MONITOR 