VIRAC, Catanduanes (PIA) — The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida) has allocated P2 million for a project aimed at helping abaca (Manila hemp) farms in Catanduanes recover from destructive diseases that have affected them over the past several years.
Catanduanes is the largest abaca producer in the country; but diseases, particularly the bunchy-top and mosaic diseases, have devastated 400 hectares of abaca farms in the town of Viga.
These diseases significantly reduced both the yield and quality of abaca fiber, resulting in substantial economic losses for 286 farmers.
Robert Lusuegro, the head of PhilFida for Catanduanes, told the Philippine Information Agency that the project began in the villages of Sagrada and Pedro Vera in the first quarter of 2025, with a budget of P500,000.
This project will be expanded within the year to include four additional areas: Barangays Mabini, Villa Aurora, Tinago, and Soboc, using the remaining balance of P1.5 million.
He stated that reducing the infestation requires the acquisition of farm inputs that will be used to eliminate the virus.
“The primary objective is to lower the disease incidence in abaca plantations to a manageable level of less than 5 percent,” Lusuegro told the farmers who attended the Training on Abaca Disease Management Project at the Department of Agriculture Multipurpose Hall in Viga on April 22.
“This will ensure healthier crops and more sustainable production for abaca farmers,” he added.
Lusuegro explained that the training sought to update the farmers on the current status of abaca disease infestation in their areas and to equip them with the technical knowledge needed to combat the problem. (PIA Catanduanes)
