Abaca output in the Philippines, the world’s top producer of the natural fiber, rose by 6 percent year-on-year in 2018, as planters sought to meet the rising global demand for the commodity.
Data released by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida) showed that abaca production last year reached 76,259.38 metric tons, 4,313.34-MT over the 71,964.04 MT recorded in 2017.
PhilFida Executive Director Kennedy T. Costales attributed the increase in output to higher buying prices for the natural fiber, which are now at an “all-time high” due to supply shortage.
The hike in buying prices encouraged farmers planting copra to harvest abaca to boost their income.
“The demand for abaca is so high, and the prices are high at
the same time, [which would drive production to increase]. Also, we are now
campaigning for the production of good-quality fibers, which are being bought
at better prices compared to copra now,” he said in an
earlier interview.
“You can earn as much as P120 per kilogram in abaca now, which is a clear at least P1,000 income for every 10 kilos harvested per day,” Costales added.
The PhilFida executive said there is a supply shortage of at least 25,000 MT, which the Philippines is trying to fill up.
Around 90 percent of the
country’s abaca output is shipped as pulp, cordage, fibercraft and raw fiber,
according to Costales. “The momentum in demand is there, hence, prices would
not drop in 10 to 20 years’ time.”
“Everybody right now, most especially the First World countries, are conscious of the environment and are looking for substitutes for petroleum-based products. And they are looking for abaca,” he added.
The latest data released by the PhilFida showed that the Bicol region remained the top producer of the natural fiber, as it accounted for 33.78 percent of 2018 output last year.
However, production in the region fell slightly to 25,767.92 MT, from the previous year’s 25,798.77 MT.
Davao region was the second-largest producer of abaca, accounting for 18 percent of total output. Output in the Davao region grew by 10.2 percent to 13,728.57 MT from 12,460.20 MT.
Last year, the PhilFida said it would need some P5.6 billion until 2022 to fund programs and interventions aimed at tripling the country’s abaca output to 221,238 MT.
In the Philippine Abaca Roadmap 2018-2022, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror, the government said it intends to expand abaca plantations to 239,666 hectares from the current 180,302 hectares.
Image credits: PhilFIDA photo