MANILA — Mindanao’s Zamboanga Peninsula almost doubled its January-April abaca fiber production this year as compared to year-ago figures.
Latest data released by the Department of Agriculture on Monday showed that among other regions in the country, the Zamboanga Peninsula registered the highest increase of 89.7 percent in abaca fiber production for the first four months of the year.
For the January-April period, Zamboanga produced 2,036 abaca fiber bales each weighing 125 kilograms, nearly twice its 1,073 bales production in 2017.
The 2018 output of Zamboanga also accounted for 1.2 percent of the 164,827.6 bales of abaca fiber produced nationwide for the four-month period.
Abaca (scientific name: Musa textilis Nee) is a plant prized for its fiber.
The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority said abaca fiber is known worldwide for its mechanical strength, resistance to saltwater damage, and length that can be stretched up to three meters.
Cordage, specialty papers, textiles, furniture and fixtures, handicraft, novelty items, meat casing, cosmetics and skin care products, grocery bags, and even composites for automotive and construction are some of the products using abaca.
The DA data also showed Northern Mindanao accounted for the second highest increase in abaca production for January-April, registering a 72.1 percent growth to 13,262 bales this year from 7,707 bales in 2017.
Other regions with higher outputs in 2018 are Soccsksargen (48.5 percent), Central Luzon (42.7 percent), Caraga (31.9 percent), Davao (27.5 percent), and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (5.7 percent).
Bicol Region remained the country’s top abaca producer, turning out 47,197.5 bales or 40.8 percent of the nationwide production in the first four months of the year.
Bicol’s output, however, is lower this year by 30.8 percent, compared with last year’s 68,177 bales abaca fiber production in the same period. (Catherine Teves/PNA)
