The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is encouraging Palaweños to avail of the coconut seedlings they are currently giving out for free as part of their drive to boost its farming in the province.
Acting division chief Raul Aguilar said Friday that PCA Palawan is aiming to saturate a hundred-hectare land area in the province through its distribution of seedlings to local farmers.
The PCA, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said over 5,000 coconut seedlings have so far been distributed to some 22 coconut farmers from different barangays in Puerto Princesa City.
“Limited lang sa area, nasa 100 hectares lang ito kasi hindi na talaga siya ‘yong sa program namin kasi ito ay 2018 pa dapat, nagkaproblema lang kami sa supplier,” he said.
“Wala naman siyang limit (per town) pero ang gusto namin ay as many as coconut farmers ‘yong ma-serve namin. Ini-evaluate lang namin ‘yong area like let’s say dito sa Puerto Princesa, sa barangay Bacungan. I-inspection namin ‘yong area niya na pagtataniman kung suitable ba yong coconut don baka masayang lang kung hindi naman suitable,” he added.
Aside from providing coconut seedlings to interested farmers in the province, PCA also continues to push for Participatory Coconut Planting Project (PCPP), which provides monetary incentives to farmers who would plant and properly maintain their coconut plantation.
Farmers will provide planting materials and PCA will provide incentives to each successful seedlings planted that is compliant to their required number in every hectare. PCPP is a continuous program of PCA that aims to help farmers
PCA will provide P18 per good quality seedlings produced by the farmer during Phase 1 of PCPP. Another P22 incentive will be given to farmers during the second phase of PCPP once the seedling has been planted on the ground.
“Yong magpo-produce ng planting materials ay ‘yong farmers na interested at willing to participate to the program. Per seedling ito, may dalawang stages kung saan sa phase 1 nito ay may nursery sila. Ang requirement namin, kapag one hectare ang mapapasok nila sa project, kailangan magpunla ng 215, out of 215, kung ilan ‘yong mapo-produce na good quality seedlings, 143 lang ang may insentibo,” he said.
“Itatanim niya ‘yan sa farm ‘yong 143 na requirement namin sa one hectare, once na naitanim, buhay na siya, malusog, tawag namin diyan ay stabilized on the ground, additional of P22 per seedling planted, a total of P40 yong insentibo na matatanggap ng coconut farmer,” he added.
The municipality of Brooke’s Point is the biggest coconut producing town in the province, he said.
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