Diseases, low buying prices continue to dampen abaca production

Abaca output in the Philippines is projected to rise annually by 2 percent up to 2028 even as a slew of factors, including natural calamities, low buying prices and the presence of crop diseases, continues to affect production.

In a report provided to the Inquirer, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) said abaca production stood at 37,600.74 metric tons (MT) in the nine months to September last year, down by 21.6 percent from 47,955.30 MT in the same period a year prior.

PhilFIDA said a combination of factors led to the industry’s underperformance, including the occurrence of natural disasters and the shift in demand for high-grade abaca fiber.

The strict implementation of policies prohibiting the mixing of abaca with daratex or musa species, called spurious fibers, and low prices of low-grade or loose fibers also affected overall production.

PhilFIDA also said there was low interest among the younger generation to pursue abaca farming, which it attributed to low buying price offered by traders. As a result, the country lacks skilled strippers and extractors.

Aside from the prevalence of abaca bunchy top disease which nearly wiped out abaca areas in Eastern Samar, the agency said most farmer-strippers in Bicol are having a hard time moving away from traditional stripping practices.

Among the regions, seven sustained losses while five others gained during the comparative period.

Bicol is still the leading abaca producer in the country with a share of almost 30 percent, however, its overall volume dropped by 18.9 percent to 11,110.59 MT.

PhilFIDA said abaca production was expected to grow 2 percent annually between 2023 and 2028 from the 2021 baseline of 62,404 MT.

To prop up production, PhilFIDA intends to, among others, produce more planting materials, establish and maintain nurseries and work on an abaca disease management project. INQ