18/03/2009 (Pia Daily News Reader), Davao City - WHILE the thriving oil palm industry in the province of Compostela Valley has greatly boosted agricultural production and income for farm owners, a by-product considered as waste has become a good source of income for farm laborers as well as their households.

The kalakat-making from oil palm fronds has been providing livelihood to communities especially those near oil palm plantation.

Kalakat ply sells for P75 per sheet if purchased from its producer. As compared to other indigenous materials like buho or bamboo, kalakat from oil palm fronds is more durable because accordingly insect/borer does not attack this material.

The process used on the oil palm fronds into finished product is thru pruning the green stalk, then splitting and cleaning the fronds, drying, weaving and cutting or trimming the edges.

Kalakat sheets are primarily used as a cheap but durable construction material. It is a preferred material for housing and resort cottages because of its cool and insulator characteristic. It is environment friendly as it utilizes basically an agricultural waste material.

In Compostela Valley, CARP-beneficiaries cooperatives that are in forefront of palm oil palm production, namely, the SARPHIL CARP Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SACARBEMCO) and Nabunturan Agrarian Reform Integrated Cooperative (NARCICO) are also in the production of Kalakat ply.

Based on the size of its developed oil palm plantation area in Tubo-tubo Monkayo, SACARBEMCO has the capacity of producing 1,024 sheets of Kalakat per month. NARCICO on the other hand is capable of producing 1,177 kalakat sheets per month.

Since 2007, DTI Comval has been assisting the said coops through product development, marketing and skills development. Trainings on kalakat making as well as basket weaving as well as product design consultations were conducted.

Some 16 individuals who availed the training are now regularly producing not only kalakat sheets but also baskets from the oil palm pronds. The addition of the baskets in their product lines has in effect opened them to the more lucrative market for handicrafts.

The province has been developing vast idle lands into productive farms such as oil palm plantations. Currently, NARCICO has 115 hectares already producing palm oil and is expected to reach 200 hectares in two years once the oil palms are fully grown.

SACARBEMCO's present 100 hectares of oil palm plantation is also expected reach to 150 hectares. On top of this is the 600 hectares of oil palm being aggressively pursued by the municipal LGU of Laak.

With the expected abundance of supply of materials from oil palm fronds, the production of Kalakat ply has an obvious big potential.