Agriculture.ph Blog

Eat fish, stay healthy

DESPITE all those talks about some fish containing high levels of toxins (mercury, for instance), medical researchers still love fish, touted to be the last wild meal in the human diet. The biggest reason: It combats a top health threat, according to a current issue of Reader’s Digest.

“If you eat a modest amount of fish, you dramatically decrease your risk of dying from a heart attack,” Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a researcher of the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted as saying by the magazine. Findings from 30 large studies conducted around the world show that people who consume just one or two servings of fish per week lower their risk of a fatal heart attack by an average of 36 percent, according to Dr. Mozaffarian.

That’s good news since the Department of Health ranks heart disease as the number-one killer in the Philippines.

“The death toll from cardiovascular diseases in the country is about one every seven minutes,” says Dr. Philip S. Chua, one of the country’s top cardiologists. Cardiovascular diseases don’t affect the heart itself but also the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart.

If you have already a heart attack, shifting to a high-fish diet can cut your chances of future deadly attacks by one third. You see, fish contains oil that is nature’s richest source of omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat that the body derives from food. Omega-3s (and omega-6s) are known as essential fatty acids because they are important for good health. The body cannot make these fatty acids on its own so omega-3s must be obtained from food.

An article which appeared in Journal of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition said omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil prevent heart disease by exerting an anti-arrhythmic effect on the heart, by inhabiting the developing of narrowing arteries, by reducing the levels of undesirable lipoproteins in the blood, and by reducing blood clots within intact blood vessels.

“If you heart high blood pressure is caused by hardening of the arteries, heart disease, or high cholesterol, fish oil may be just what the doctor ordered,” wrote the editors of Super Life, Super Health. “The higher your cholesterol levels and the worse your heart disease, the better fish oil works to lower your blood pressure.”

The American Heart Association suggests that people should eat at least two servings of oily fish each week to help keep their hearts healthy. Best sources of omega-3s are bass (striped), herring, mackerel, oysters, sablefish, salmon, trout (freshwater), and tuna.

But hearts are not the only human part that benefit from fish. Older folks considered fish as “brain food” and now scientists have evidence to back the claim. A 2007 study of nearly 12,000 pregnant women found that children born to mothers who ate more than 340 grams of seafood per week during pregnancy scored six points higher on tests of verbal IQ than kids born to mothers who had other foods on the menu.

What about adults? A study done in Sweden found that young men who ate fish more than once a week scored nearly 11 percent higher on IQ tests than males who rarely ate seafood. And in later years, fish eaters appear to be less likely to develop dementia.

But you ain’t heard anything yet. A study published in Biological Psychiatry has shown that omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent depression. Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, who studies the health benefits of fish at the US National Institutes of Health, discovered omega-3 fatty acids can raise the levels of serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals that are thought to play a role in depression.

Fish oil appears to have anti-inflammatory properties, and has been researched as a treatment for many conditions including inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It also has some preventive effect for Parkinson’s disease.

So when is fish not so good for your health? Almost all fish is contaminated with trace amounts of mercury. While most healthy adults have no problem eliminating the mercury from their bodies, children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid some types of fish and shellfish to reduce their risk of mercury exposure.

Fish that contain the low level of mercury are anchovies, catfish, clam, crab, haddock, hake, herring, salmon, sardines, shrimp, trout (freshwater), tuna, and whitefish. The following have higher content of mercury: swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish. “Avoid eating them, as possible,” experts warn.

If you are concerned about mercury, or if you just don’t want to eat fish, you need to get omega-3 fatty acids from other sources. There are many plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as canola oil, flax seeds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. The type of omega-3 fatty acids found in plants, called alpha linolenic acid (ALA), is not exactly the same as the fats found in fish, but experts say your body has the capability to transform ALA to both EPA and DHA.

Written By Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: Sun Star

Kangkong becoming a hot market item

KANGKONG (scientific name: Ipomea aquatica) is a very common leafy vegetable in the Philippines. You will find them floating on open muddy fields, stagnant pools and fish ponds. Farmers grow it as a regular crop in lowland rice fields but only on a small-scale basis.

Interestingly, kangkong, also known as swamp cabbage, water spinach and water convolvulus, is the most economical vegetable to grow. It requires less labor since it does not need careful land preparation or watering.
(During World War II, the vegetable grew remarkably well and easily in many areas of Singapore and become a popular wartime crop.)

Kangkong is usually sauted in cooking oil, onions, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. This dish is called adobong kangkong or apan-apan (as Ilongos call it). Kangkong is also a common leaf vegetable in fish and meat stews like sinigang. There is also an appetizer called crispy kangkong, where fresh leaves are mixed with eggs, water, cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper. The leaves are fried until crispy and golden brown.

Kangkong is grown in most parts of Asia and Asians have various ways of cooking kangkong. In Singapore and Indonesia, the leaves are usually stir fried with hot pepper, garlic, dried shrimp paste and other spices. In Penang, Malaysia, kangkong is cooked with cuttlefish and a sweet and spicy sauce.

In Chinese cuisine, there are numerous ways of preparation, but a simple and quick stir fry either plain or with minced garlic is probably the most common. In Cantonese cuisine, a popular variation adds preserved beancurd (tofu). In Hakka cuisine, yellow bean paste is added, sometimes along with fried shallots.

In Thailand, kangkong is frequently stir fried with oyster sauce and shrimp paste. In Vietnam, it once served as a staple vegetable of the poor. In the south, the stems are julienned into thin strips and eaten with many kinds of noodles, and used as a garnish as well. Over the course of time, kangkong has developed into being an ingredient for many daily vegetable dishes of Vietnamese cuisine as a whole.

What is in a kangkong? Upon analysis, its edible portion per 100 grams gives 89.7 percent moisture, 30 percent calories, 3.9 grams protein, 0.6 gram fat, 4.4 grams carbohydrates, and 1.4 grams fiber.

Also found in the leafy vegetable are minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid. Because of its high iron content, the vegetable is recommended to patients suffering from anemia.

Kangkong is known to be grown easily throughout the year in any place in the country. Although it can be planted on a wide variety of soils, it gives best results when planted in ordinary rice fields with a clayey type of soil rich in organic matter and well-provided with water the year round. It thrives best in semi-wet conditions.

There are two major types of kangkong. The first type, known as upland variety, has a narrow leaf and it does not require much water. The second type, called lowland variety, possesses broad leaves and requires plenty of water.

Kangkong can be planted anytime of the year. However, the best time to plant is during the rainy season. This is true especially for the second type which needs much water.

Although it can be propagated by seeds, kangkong is generally propagated by means of cuttings. Healthy, big cuttings about one foot long are selected. The cuttings are prepared a day before planting. The planting materials are tied in convenient-size bundles and kept moist under a shade. Three kilos or about 150 cuttings are needed to plant a square meter of bed.

Since there are two types of kangkong, there are also two ways of planting the crop: the semi-wet culture method (sometimes referred to as dry culture) and the wet culture method.

In the wet culture method, the field is prepared by puddling just like in lowland rice culture. The tip cuttings are planted in beds about 80 centimeters wide that run the whole length of the paddy. The cuttings are planted by inserting them deep in the soil, leaving 15 centimeters protruding. The plants are spaced about five by 10 centimeters. A fresh supply of water is kept flowing. No fish should be allowed in the field; otherwise they will eat leaves of the kangkong.

In the semi-wet culture method, the field is prepared dry. The soil is plowed and harrowed twice. After the field has been well-pulverized, raised beds are formed about 80 centimeters wide. Planting is done in the same way as in wet culture method. If the soil is too dry for planting, it should be watered a day before planting and the field kept moist thereafter. During summer, the plots should be mulched with rice straw to conserve water. Heavy and frequent irrigation is practiced to produce high quality shoots.

Like most crops, kangkong also needs nutrients. In the wet culture method, an application of fertilizer is made at the rate of 150 kilograms of ammonium sulfate per hectare at planting time. After every fifth harvesting, the same amount is applied for maintenance of proper growth and development.
In the semi-wet culture method, about 200 kilograms of ammonium sulfate is recommended and applied at planting time.

Fresh kangkong are harvested one month after planting. The harvesting period can be determined when the plants have attained full growth or when the leaves and stems are big enough. Kangkong plants are harvested by cutting the young tops with a sharp knife or scythe at about five centimeters above the base. They are washed and bundled in retail sizes of 8 to 10 shoots. The small bundles may be tied in larger ones and rolled in a banana leaf sheath, leaving it open at the butt and tips ends.

The characteristics of good quality kangkong for market, according to experts are as follows: tender tips over 30 centimeters in length; the diameter of the cutting at the middle portion should be about eight millimeters or more; there should be no insect and disease injury or blemishes; the leaves should be dark green and healthy looking; the crop should be have been grown in a sanitary place and shipped to market with adequate protection; and the stem and leaf surfaces should be smooth, uniformly green and nice looking without the black stripes usually present in dirty places.

Is there money in growing kangkong? Zac B. Sarian, the editor of Agriculture, once featured the story of Angeles Dayon, the “Kangkong Queen” of Angeles City. She grows upland kangkong using seeds.

“In just 25 to 30 days, the plants are ready for harvesting,” the multi-awarded agricultural journalist reported. “The vegetable is also very saleable, especially in Manila. Angie wholesales her harvest at only P10 per kilo, yet the profit margin is still significant because the production cost is not much.”

The kangkong plants are robust despite the fact that production is continuous. According to Sarian, Dayon incorporates a lot of chicken manure in the soil and applies nitrogenous fertilizer, too.

“Her kangkong plots are narrower than most garden plots, just about 18 inches wide,” wrote Sarian.”She likes it that way because the plants are watered manually by means of sprinkler. The narrow plots ensure that all the plants are adequately watered with just one passing.”

Written By Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: Sun Star

Philippines: Avocado cultivation gaining ground in South Cotabato

Commercial avocado cultivation has gained ground in South Cotabato, with 80 hectares already planted to an early maturing variety bound for export, local Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) officials said on Tuesday.

Aurelio A. Banggayong, Jr., BAS South Cotabato chief, said that Standard Philippines Fruit Corp. (Stanfilco), a subsidiary of Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil), embarked on a contract growing program with upland farmers in Polomolok and Tupi towns for avocado propagation.

“Upland farmers have started planting the avocados. The initial target is 300 hectares with room for expansion,” he said.

The variety of avocado (Persia Americana) pushed by Stanfilco can bear fruit three years after planting, Mr. Banggayong said.

A source from Dolefil, a multinational company based in Polomolok town, confirmed the venture but did not provide additional details. Mr. Banggayong said that Stanfilco, whose major business is Cavendish banana growing, will buy and market the avocados in Japan.

Source: bworldonline.com

Pointers on growing rambutan

Rambutan is one good crop to grow for a number of good reasons, whether in the backyard or in a plantation. For one, rambutan will most likely bear fruit every year without much intervention once it has attained fruiting age. Of course, the trees have to be adequately fertilized and other simple requirements are also provided.

Rambutan can be grown in most places in the Philippines, including in the Ilocos where there is a distinct wet and dry season. One retired judge in Ilocos Sur has been harvesting a lot of fruits every year from his four-hectare rambutan plantation.

Here are some important pointers on growing this exotic fruit tree. One is to plant the right variety. There are many varieties of rambutan but not all of them are recommended. Among those which produce good quality fruits are R-5, Super Red, Rongrein, Jetli, R-162 and some others. Maharlika is an old variety but is not as good as the newer ones and has a lower price in the market.

The planting distance is also important. On farms with rich soil, the distance of planting should be at least 10 meters apart. If the soil is poor, the distance between trees could be 8 meters apart.

How do you take care of the juvenile plants? Planting is best done at the start of the rainy season. However, planting could be done anytime of the year for as long as the trees are provided with adequate moisture during the dry months. Grafted seedlings that are two to three feet tall are usually used for planting.

Monitor the growth of young trees. If the weather is too hot, provide some shade (like coconut fronds) so the plant will not get scorched. Apply organic fertilizer, about a kilo per tree every two months. Also, apply chemical fertilizer every two months at the rate of 150 grams per tree or thereabouts. You can alternate applying urea and complete fertilizer. Watch for insect damage. Insects might feed on the new leaves. Aphids and other pests could be easily controlled by spraying with common insecticides.

It is best to have fruiting trees that are low-growing (about five meters tall) with spreading branches. This can be achieved by cutting the lead trunk and developing the lateral branches. This is best done when the trees are properly distanced. In pruning, cut the weak branches.

Fertilize the trees with both organic and chemical fertilizers. The organic fertilizer may be the processed kind or composted chicken manure, or some other manures. At the beginning of the rainy season, spread a sackful of manure under the canopy of the trees. Repeat this six months later. The chemical fertilizer may be applied every three months, the amount depending on the size of the trees. Two kilos may be applied per tree each time. Organic foliar fertilizer (balanced, complete formulation) may be sprayed on the leaves every month.

During the dry months, make sure that the trees don’t suffer from drought. During the rainy season, on the other hand, make sure that the plantation is properly drained.

Source; Manila Bulletin

THE LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY

Landscaping has become a popular phenomenon these days. Many commercial establishments such as restaurants and shopping malls utilize a well-defined landscape to attract customers. Households with spacious front and backyard establish landscapes to beautify their homes. Even theme parks, memorial parks, and golf courses utilize plants in their landscapes to make their surroundings aesthetically tasteful.

Landscaping is a general term that refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of a land. It is the art and science of designing and managing the outdoor space to create an environment that is highly suitable to the biological and physiological well-being of man. As a science, landscaping involves technical knowledge for the selection, arrangement, and growing of plants. As an art, it requires skills for sculpturing the biological and nonbiological materials into a single and beautiful living ecosystem.

Primarily, the main purpose of landscaping is to achieve beauty, privacy, and pleasure with ornamental plants as its main component. Trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers, and herbaceous perennials are utilized in a creative manner to beautify an outdoor space.

Ornamentals for Functionality

Landscaping is not limited to achieve beauty alone. The ornamental plants are the key elements used in landscaping and impart other functions that we usually not notice.

Owing to the beauty they bring, plants spare an element of satisfaction, relaxation, and delight to human beings. A simple arrangement of plants can alter the surrounding and render it more beautiful because of its inherent aesthetic and architectural qualities. But such designed environments are not just pretty. The plants in the landscape also add functionality by modulating temperature, abating noise, reducing glare, and increasing privacy and security. In this manner, a beautiful surrounding imparts a sense of peace, harmony, and tranquillity to man.

How to Landscape with Ornamentals

Landscaping is not as simple as it seems. Since landscaping is also a field of science, it involves processes that must be followed and a group of experts to perform the task.

There are three phases in landscaping before anyone can achieve a beautifully landscaped surrounding:

1. Landscape design involves the complete planning, designing, and drawing of an envisioned concept for a certain design. A licensed landscape architect and a landscape designer with appropriate training perform this task. As the name implies, a landscape architect is an architect of the landscape bringing together the natural balance the needs of the people and technology. A landscape designer is an individual who designs the work of the landscape architect.

The landscape designer is familiar with the basic design principles, plant cultural requirements, and basic landscape construction methods. The conceptualization of a design usually depends on a certain theme or mood, or sometimes culture. The Zen garden, for example, is a Japanese-inspired landscape and is a popular concept used in landscaping nowadays. The main elements of a Zen Garden are rocks and sand, with the sea which is embodied by sand. Plants are minimally used in a Zen Garden while embellishments are used mostly to symbolize something.

2. After the materialization of the blueprint of the design is the implementation. Landscape design implementation is the development or creation of the landscape. In this stage, the preparation of the site, planting of the selected ornamentals, installation of hardscapes, and construction of the landscape as a whole is being worked out. A landscape horticulturist or an engineer is in charge in this phase. A desired plant cannot be simply picked up and included in a landscape. Plants have their own cultural requirements that support their growth and survival.

The growth, habit, water, sunlight, and nutrient requirements are some of the few things considered in selecting plants to be included in the landscape. For example, Sansevieras, Aglaonemas, Dieffenbachia,s and Philodendrons could thrive better under the shade. On the other hand, San Francisco, Bougainvilleas, and Calachuchi prefer being planted under the sun where they can grow better.

3. After the plants have established and developed, landscape maintenance is needed to maintain aesthetic value of the envisioned design. Landscape maintenance is the art of keeping a landscape healthy, safe and attractive with the use of various tools, pieces of equipment, supplies, and skills. This includes the watering of plants, fertilization, pruning, pest and disease management, mulching, and edging. A poorly maintained landscape will do little to stimulate public belief in their value or necessity. Poor maintenance practices, even for a short period, can destroy much of the beauty of the landscaped area.

Landscaping as an Industry

According to Dr. Leonido Naranja, a landscape horticulturist and professor from the Crop Science Cluster of the College of Agriculture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, landscaping has a very promising future in the country.

“With the mushrooming of subdivisions, golf courses, malls, theme parks, and other commercial areas, there will always be a demand for the services of those in the landscaping business and to our landscaping graduates as well,” Dr. Naranja said.

Landscaping as an industry involves a lot of sectors: stakeholders, real estate developers, landscape professionals, agriculturists, nursery owners, academic institutions, and government offices. Though landscaping is just a newly recognized industry, it has already provided opportunities for business and livelihood for the sectors involved in it.

However, as a budding industry, there are also problems encountered in landscaping. In the case of the designers, meeting the required volume of a certain plant species is their primary problem. In most instances, nursery owners fail to meet the volume of plant species specified in the landscape design that sometimes leads in changing the design.

Meanwhile, the increasing cost of production of planting materials such as planting media, fertilizer, and containers is the primary dilemma of nursery owners and plant growers. Rice hull for example, is the common planting medium used by nursery owners in Bulacan which can be availed of at a low price and sometimes even for free. After the discovery of rice hull as a potential source of fuel, the demand for it has increased along with the increase of its market price.

For the small-scale nursery owners, finding a market for their plants is their biggest concern. Since landscape designs usually require a large volume of plants, small-scale nurseries are often overlooked as possible sources of plants because they cannot satisfy the required plant volume. Dr. Naranja mentioned that in this regard, small nursery owners can organize and team up to meet the plant requirements of landscape contractors.

Future Endeavors

Much still remains to be done for the improvement of landscaping activities and as an industry as a whole. Dr. Naranja recognized the need for continuous research and development (R&D) of technology for ornamentals. He mentioned that R&D efforts can be focused on tree surgery, pruning, postharvest handling of ornamentals and the improvement and maintenance systems and practices for the ornamental and landscaping industry to thrive.

In the case of landscape design, the development of new trends that would showcase Filipino culture in the landscape is encouraged. An attempt to create a “Filipino Garden” using plants and embellishments that can be associated with the Filipino culture such as the nipa hut is being worked out.

Another undertaking, which is the advancement of edible landscaping, is being promoted to a larger extent. Edible landscaping is the utilization of food-producing plants in the constructed landscape, principally the residential landscape. It combines fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, and ornamental plants into aesthetically pleasing designs in replacement of the traditional ornamental design. Landscaping with edibles is being promoted most especially in urban areas to contribute to sustainability. This concept is already being adopted by real estate developers where it is thought as something new and innovative as it provides food and imparts beauty at the same time.

Source: Ellaine Grace L. Nagpala of Beareau of Agrarian Reform (BAR)

Paterio “Pat” O. de Guzman: Veteran Mango Grower Uses Home-Grown Technologies

At first glance, Mr. Paterio or “Pat” O. de Guzman hardly fits the farmer stereotype. With his meztizo features and charming demeanor, he can pass for a veteran actor straight from the movies. But Mr. De Guzman is more a veteran in growing mangoes.

He and his wife Marcelina own an 18 ha mango farm in Brgy. Julo, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija.They have been in the mango business since 1969, after trying their luck in poultry. Marcelina handles the marketing aspects, while he manages the activities in the farm. They first planted 100 trees with 20 x 20 m planting distance, and have continued to plant every year. Now they have 1,700 ‘Carabao’ trees, of which 800 are bearing and 900 non-bearing. Bearing trees are approximately 20-30 years old while non-bearing trees are about 3-6 years old. Over the last five years, they have been able to produce an average of 40 tons per season.

Mr. De Guzman used to grow crops in between the trees, like watermelon, corn, tomatoes, nuts, and monggo, but since the trees have grown big, he stopped growing intercrops and concentrated on his mangoes. Aside from mangoes though, the business-minded couple also tends sheep and makes homemade ice cream.

He learned about mangoes not from school but from attending seminars, reading books and other information materials, and from experiences shared by fellow mango growers. As he hires Cebuano baggers to wrap his fruits yearly, he has also picked up some indigenous technologies from them, such as the “ug-og method”, and using a “damba” for chemical spraying.

In the “ug-og” method, trees are shook gently so that leafhopper and their excreta would fall off the tree and not cause sooty mold, a fungal disease. They also use the “ug-og” method to selectively thin out rotten flowers and small, inferior fruits.

The “damba” is a tripod made of two 14 ft bamboo stems and a 20 ft stem placed underneath the bamboo canopy. This is a common practice in Cebu where instead of spraying insecticide from the bottom of the tree, the sprayer can use the “damba” and climb to the top of the canopy and spray from there. Thus, he will not be soaked in chemicals.

One of the tips that he adopted from peers is leaving three superior flowers out of five or more in a panicle. This way, the tree’s nutrients will be shared by less flowers and have greater chances of becoming mangoes of large and even extra large sizes, which are ideal for export.

He encourages others to try bagging, also a Cebu-rooted practice, because eversince he started bagging, sales have gone up. Even export rejects are sold at a high price in the local market.

Aside from bagging, he also does pruning. Mr. De Guzman believes a healthy mango tree only has a few branches and sunlight can pass through.

When asked about his expertise in mango production, he politely refuses to call himself an expert. As he said, he may be a little ahead than his colleagues, but that is due to long years of toil and experience. He is also not selfish when giving out mango-growing tips to other growers, as long as he can help them. (February 13, 2002)

Source: PCARRD

Bangus can now be raised profitably

“BANGUS has always been the most important species cultured in the Philippines in terms of area and production.” These words come from the mouth of Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, former executive director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD).

In fact, the Philippines is one of the top bangus producers in the world, along with Indonesia and Taiwan. “Until recently, the country has contributed around 55 percent share of the world bangus production,” said Dr. Guerrero, who popularized tilapia production and consumption in the country.

The Philippines has been exporting bangus to other countries like the United States, England, Canada, and Japan. “The main consumer market, however, is the United States, where there are large Filipino communities,” Dr. Guerrero said.

Bangus farming is a centuries-old industry not only in the Philippines but in other Asian countries as well like Indonesia and Taiwan. In the Philippines, bangus is the major species in brackishwater fish farming and mariculture.

Reportedly, the industry employs close to 300,000 fish farmers, entrepreneurs, processors and workers.

To make the fishponds and fish cages productive throughout the year, adequate supply of bangus fingerlings is necessary. In the past, bangus growers depended on the fry caught from the wild. This was seen as a big gamble because the volumes of wild-caught fry are low and seasonal. Estimated supply from the wild is about 200 million out of the national demand of two billion bangus fry on a good year.

In recent years, importing fingerlings from Taiwan and Indonesia was the only option although it was not also practical as the fry are very expensive.

But with Finfish Hatcheries, Inc. (FHI) now selling bangus fry, bangus growers need not worry anymore. “We have been in the bangus fry production business since 1997,” said Rene B. Bocaya, FHI’s national marketing manager.

According to Bocaya, the price per piece of wild bangus fry was P1.00 a decade or so ago. “With the introduction to the market of hatchery produced fry (local and imported), the price now ranges from thirty to forty-five centavos per piece only. The hatchery-produced fry doesn’t only give very big savings to the fishpond operators, but it also provides them good quality and steady supply throughout the year.”

As a result of steady supply of bangus in the market, there are now processing plants for bangus value-added products. The foreign exchange earnings from bangus exports have been reported to be about US$15 million.

In Sarangani Province, where the FHI’s hatchery is located, bangus production has increased considerably. Actually, the hatchery is in Lun Masla, Malapatan. Here, about 13,000 breeders are maintained and managed to produce bangus eggs on a daily basis throughout the year. The eggs are collected, cleaned and hatched. The hatchlings are grown to the marketable sizes in 18-21 days in larval ponds. During the growing period, they are fed with a mixture of planktons and commercial feeds.

The breeders are 50 percent males and 50 percent females. “It is tedious to sex the fish individually and tag them,” Bocaya explains. “We have some breeders that are more than 25 years old and are still breeding in groups well.”

It takes five years for a bangus to mature sexually. FHI selects breeders for commercial production only when they are eight years old. The female breeder, called sabalo, can produce seven kilos of eggs in one year. And one kilo consists of 750,000 eggs.

Bangus is grown in a number of stages and in varying degrees of culture intensity depending on the grower’s production design and the nature of the growing environment. The simplest bangus value chain is the three-stage system of a nursery stage, a transition stage and a grow-out stage.

In the nursery, bangus is grown from fry (kawag-kawag) to fingerling (hatirin). In the transition stage, the fingerlings are grown to juvenile (garungan). In the grow-out stage the juveniles are grown to marketable sizes.

In the grow-out stage, bangus is produced in a number of categories depending on the pond structure the capitalization and the grower’s production design. Traditional extensive ponds using lablab as feeds normally seed 2,000 juveniles of 50 grams in size. Lablab production is takes six weeks. A well-prepared lablab pond can produce 500 kilograms of fish biomass. With 2,000 juveniles stocked, the grower is able to produce 300-gram fish in three to four months from seeding.

In intensive ponds with aeration, growers can produce 8,000-10,000 kilograms of bangus fish in a hectare. Stocking density to grow 500-gram fish is about 20,000 juveniles per hectare. In fish pens in Laguna Lake, juveniles of 30 to 50 grams are stocked at 50,000 per hectare. There is no feeding needed as the lake provides the algae that the bangus feed on.

In marine sea cages, juveniles of 30 to 50 grams are stocked at a rate of 20-50 per square meter depending on the site and the business plan of the grower. Harvest can reach up to 30-40 kilograms per cubic meter of 500-gram bangus in six to eight months.

According to Bocaya, at least 50 percent of the costs in intensive pond systems go to feeds. The other costs that figure are electricity, water, labor and pond maintenance costs. In marine cage systems, feeds are 80 percent of the costs. In extensive systems, lablab production is still 40 percent of the costs.

“On the average, gross profits are at about 25 to 30 percent of selling price on a good year across all production systems,” Bocaya points out.
No wonder, sales of hatchery-bred fingerlings are increasing. When they were new, the fish operators and growers were skeptical about using the hatchery-bred fingerlings. They thought that those caught from the wild were more hardy.

However, the perceptions of bangus farmers have changed, Bocaya said.

They now prefer the hatchery-bred fingerlings because they are more uniform and they also grow faster. Those from the wild usually have a survival rate of 50 to 60 percent while those from the hatchery usually have 82 to 85 percent survival rate.

FHI now sells hatchery-bred fingerlings all over the country. The major bangus production areas in the Philippines are Pangasinan, Bulacan, Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake, Iloilo, Bicol, Negros, Agusan, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga Provinces, Davao Provinces and the Cotabato Provinces.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has likewise spearheaded the production of bangus in mariculture parks all over the country. “All of these parks need fishpond nurseries and transition ponds to grow the juveniles,” Bocaya reports.

Written By Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: Sun Star

First fishing competition successful

EIGHTY-ONE individuals have competed Saturday in the first ever held fishing competition in Zamboanga City.

The competition dubbed “Pesca kita (Let’s fish),” was held at the Paseo del Mar, the latest tourist attraction of the city.

The four-hour competition, which started at 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., is an added attraction of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2009.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said the competition was conceptualized because of the establishment of Paseo del Mar, which since its opening last July 10 has been the favorite “fishing site” of local fishing enthusiasts.

The competition has two categories: on shore and off shore.

The winners in the on shore category are: Biggest fish caught by weight-Antonio Sr.; Alfred Ternasa, most number of fish caught; Ricardo Ladores, biggest total fish caught by weight; and, Roland Limen received a special Award for the first catch.

For the off shore category are: Sahirul Ganzon, bigged fish caught by weight; Roel Esperat, biggest total fish caught by weight; Alexander Reyes, most number of fish caught; and, special award for the first catch was received by Sahirul Ganzon.

Lobregat is planning to conduct such competition twice a year as Saturday’s event was successful.

One of the competitions could be held during summer and the second during Fiesta Pilar, Lobregat said.

The fishing competition was initiated by the Tourism Association of Zamboanga (TBA) headed Vicente Lim, in coordination with Mayor Lobregat, Z.C. Tourism Press Corps, Si Zamboanga under Ric San Juan, SOPHIL, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatics Resources (BFAR).

The sponsors for the event were Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Mega Sardines and Unico.

Lobregat expressed delight that Mother Nature cooperated, paving the way for an uninterrupted competition. (Bong Garcia)

Source: Sun Star

Growing the world’s most expensive coffee

THE promotional cost of a cup of civet coffee in some Asian trade conventions was US$5.

In London, a cup of the same brew cost US$99. That makes this coffee brew the most expensive in the world today.

Certainly, that is more than an encouragement to enterprising Asian coffee farmers where civet cats are found to cash in on this latest fad.

The emerging interest on civet coffee will demand sufficient supply and ultimately challenges producers to sustain a promising and highly profitable industry.

In the Philippines, a few brewers have already come out with their own civet coffee product brands. The main problem is that civet cats are wild animals and they are endemic. In areas where they are found, the civets are hunted and eaten as a delicacy.

Even if they are not considered food in some places, civet cats are becoming extinct as their forest habitats are continually cleared.

Certainly that raises questions on long-term supply sustainability, wild life concerns and marketing ethics.

Ollopa Anun, a pioneering and promising Igorot civet coffee producer, said that civet cats can yet transform the Arabica coffee farming in the Cordillera as a profitable livelihood for farmers.

The current recommended technology for Arabica coffee requires the planting of 1,000 trees per hectare. That does not give farmers reasonable profit claimed some farmers and experts.

Arabica plantations have yet to emerge in the region. The crop is still grown at the range of three to ten plants as a backyard crop.

Anun got me committed not to reveal his name for the time being until after the launching of his coffee house in Baguio City this November. He said he grows Arabica coffee in a one-hectare farm in Tuba, Benguet.

He intends to make good profit on his farm through the production and marketing of civet coffee and value adding.

He resolved this by growing civet cats, Arabica coffee, herbs and stevia all in his one-hectare farm. He processes civet cat droppings of coffee beans mixed with herbs and sweetened with stevia plants which is 10-15 times sweeter than raw sugar.

His coffee blend makes a premium instant coffee brew that is at par with any civet coffee, if not the best, in the international market today.

The product comes with the brand name “Hagiyo Blend.” It is all natural and organic, Anun says. The first of its kind, the blend’s ingredients are packed in a bag like that of commercial instant tea. This aromatic and healthy product is registered with the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).

The current challenge for Anun these days is marketing his product. For local buyers, he sells a sachet of civet coffee at a cost of P50 or P1,500 per box of 10 saches.

Anun wants to sell it in the international market at US$50 per sachet. The cost covers production, postharvest and other expenses which include the care and food of his civet cats such as banana, alumit fruits, among others.

Anun sees the integration of civet cats in his Arabica coffee plantation as another way of conserving these endemic wild animals. The cats roam freely in his fenced coffee plantation, he said.

Indirectly, the venture should provide an alternative refuge to civet cats from people who value them only as fooddelicacies or those who plunder the cats’ wildlife habitats. The wild animals are still found and hunted from all over the Cordillera’s remaining forests.

The potential economic and environmental benefits of civet coffee farming or the establishment of a civet coffee industry in the Cordillera are reasonable arguments on their own. I am desperately hedged in a corner. I whisper, maybe it is a good industry. Let us wait and see. At this point, that is loud enough for me.

Written By Robert L. Domoguen

Source: Sun Star

Agrilink is coming!

The most awaited agricultural trade show is just around the corner. So make sure you will be around when it comes. We are referring to Agrilink 2009 which will be staged at the World Trade Center-Metro Manila on October 8 to 10. There’s no reason for you to miss this event. It is open free to the public, including the various seminars.

Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink is one place where the latest ideas, products and services are showcased. It is also one place where one can meet new friends, acquaintances of old as well as long lost relatives. For those who are looking for old as well as new issues of Agriculture Magazine, they will be available (the old ones) at a big discount. Look for the Manila Bulletin booth.

If you are interested in tasting the best durian, our friend Larry Miculob of Davao has assured us that he will make available different varieties including Puyat, Monthong, Arancillo and perhaps what he calls Schwarzkoff..

In the outdoor exhibit area, Dr. Rey Itchon and Sandy of Solraya will be putting up a showcase of a backyard free-range Sunshine Chicken project. This will be next to the booth of Teresa Orchard & Nursery which will showcase its latest exotic fruit trees.

Our friend Jose Abellar whose specialty is poultry equipment will showcase his Atras-Avante feed dispenser which is also used for gathering the daily egg production. Another interesting equipment is his multipurpose, modular chicken cage which can be used for brooding, growing broilers and ready-to-lay pullets. He is also the manufacturer of an ostrich incubator.

Goats, farm machines, livestock feeds and medicines, organic products, the latest hybrid seeds of vegetables and other high-value crops, wellness products, and many others will all be there. We will see you there.

Written by Zac Sarian

Source: Manila Bulletin