MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Minda Lacks Quality Oil Palm Seedlings
Minda Lacks Quality Oil Palm Seedlings
02/01/2015 (Sun.Star) - Although oil palm industry has bright prospects, Mindanao lacks supply of high quality seedlings.
"One problem of the Philippines is the supply of seedlings. We do not have our own germinating seeds," former Davao City councilor Peter Lavi¤a, member of the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council (PPODC), said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao.
He said it will take years for the palm oil industry in the Philippines to have its own oil palm variety.
"Because aside from cross breeding, you have to test it in the field for 10 to 15 years to see if it will grow before you can start germinating your own," Lavi¤a said.
He said nobody is doing it in the Philippines and the only available resources are for academic studies.
"At the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), there are academic studies but no experimental studies because the researchers are not supported financially," Lavi¤a said.
He said all oil palm seedlings are being imported from Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and West Africa.
Lavi¤a said an one-year old oil palm seedling is sold from P200 to 220 and an ordinary farmer who needs 140 would find it difficult to acquire seedlings and would need an investor, assistance from government, or loan from a bank.
Meanwhile, he said the industry here still lags behind its Asean neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia, who started planting oil palm when the Philippines was developing its coconut industry.
"Our neighbors have been so much advanced [in the industry], Philippines was left behind...during the past 50 years, stagnant ang ating coconut industry, palm oil has developed so much that today it is number one all over the world," he said.
Lavi¤a they have recently finished the industry road map for the palm oil and are hoping that this will pave the way for the development of the industry.
He said there are now a lot of interest coming from foreign investors to plant and develop oil palm in the Philippines particulalry in Mindanao.
"One problem of the Philippines is the supply of seedlings. We do not have our own germinating seeds," former Davao City councilor Peter Lavi¤a, member of the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council (PPODC), said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao.
He said it will take years for the palm oil industry in the Philippines to have its own oil palm variety.
"Because aside from cross breeding, you have to test it in the field for 10 to 15 years to see if it will grow before you can start germinating your own," Lavi¤a said.
He said nobody is doing it in the Philippines and the only available resources are for academic studies.
"At the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), there are academic studies but no experimental studies because the researchers are not supported financially," Lavi¤a said.
He said all oil palm seedlings are being imported from Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and West Africa.
Lavi¤a said an one-year old oil palm seedling is sold from P200 to 220 and an ordinary farmer who needs 140 would find it difficult to acquire seedlings and would need an investor, assistance from government, or loan from a bank.
Meanwhile, he said the industry here still lags behind its Asean neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia, who started planting oil palm when the Philippines was developing its coconut industry.
"Our neighbors have been so much advanced [in the industry], Philippines was left behind...during the past 50 years, stagnant ang ating coconut industry, palm oil has developed so much that today it is number one all over the world," he said.
Lavi¤a they have recently finished the industry road map for the palm oil and are hoping that this will pave the way for the development of the industry.
He said there are now a lot of interest coming from foreign investors to plant and develop oil palm in the Philippines particulalry in Mindanao.