How to Repair Soil With Tomato Blight
By goGreen | January 31, 2012
Tomato blight is a damaging disease for the crop which requires careful management. There are two types of tomato blight: early and late blights. Early blight will overwinter in soil and on old plant material. Late blight will not survive in soil but is found on plant material and is the more dangerous of the two diseases. Both diseases can be brought into soil from contaminated plants or seed. The blights infect all Solanaceous plants which include potatoes. No Solanaceous plant should be grown in the same place. Crop rotation is crucial to controlling the disease, as is purchasing plants resistant to the blight.
Things You’ll Need
- Rake
- Plastic bags
- Mulch
- Pruners
Instructions
1. Remove and destroy all infected plant parts and old Solanaceous plant pieces. Pull potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes at the end of the season and bag the plants and throw them out. The fungus can survive composting so do not throw them in your yard waste pile.
2. Rake up old tomato leaves and fruit. Bag these also and throw them out. Rake before you till or you risk mixing in the seeds from infected fruit.
3. Spread 3 to 5 inches of mulch over the infected area. Mulch will help prevent the infected soil from splashing up onto the foliage of the next season’s crop and infecting it.
4. Allow the soil to dry out. Both blights are caused by fungi which require moist conditions to survive and reproduce. If they are not given moisture, over time they will die out.
5. Prune out any tree branches which may be preventing the morning sun from reaching your soil. Morning sun dries the dew which supports the formation of spores.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Crops & Vegetables | No Comments »
Why Filipinos Should Cultivate Mushrooms?
By goGreen | January 30, 2012
The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, and China knew of the importance of edible mushrooms as food. Egyptian pharaohs zealously kept the mushrooms for their own use, decreeing it was too delicate a morsel for commoners who could eat garlic!
The Romans restricted mushroom consumption to the nobility. Later, convinced that mushrooms gave their soldiers strength, the Romans permitted them to eat the fungus. The ancient Chinese called mushrooms the “divine fruit of immortality,” and Buddha is believed to have eaten them before being transported to nirvana.
Nutritionally speaking, mushrooms contain higher quality proteins than green plants, important minerals such as iron, phosphorus, potassium and calcium and nearly all vitamins, including vitamin D. Edible mushrooms are rich in vitamins B1 and B2. They also contain fibers, which stimulate digestion in humans, as well as other elements favorable for health. Another advantage is that they can be grown at home without any great effort.
Despite being “an almost perfect food,” growing mushroom is still considered one of the “not too famous” business ventures in the Philippines. “But if this is tapped and one gets to know the techniques of its trade, mushroom culture could be remarkably profitable,” says the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), which promotes its cultivation throughout the country.
“It is regrettable that, to date, cultivating mushrooms has been almost ignored in many developing countries, even though it could contribute significantly to feeding their population, for edible mushrooms are delicious and nutritionally valuable,” deplores Jan Lelley in an article on mushroom growing.
More than 100,000 varieties of mushrooms have been discovered, of which 700 are considered edible or fit for human consumption. The most widely cultivated mushroom species are kabuting saging, tainga ng daga, shiitake, abalone, and champignon.
Kabuting saging sprouts in the wild after thunderstorms and is usually cultivated in straw beds in open fields or in portable wooden frames. Tainga ng daga is usually found growing luxuriantly on decaying trees in the forest. Shiitake is also known as the Japanese forest mushroom since it grows profusely in the forests of Japan logs of shii, a tree closely related to the oak.
Abalone is commonly known as oyster mushroom because its fleshy gills look like ears growing sideways and overlapping one another, resembling oysters. Champignon is one of the few mushroom species with international commercial importance.
There are a number of species of mushroom that are poisonous, and although some resemble certain edible species, eating them could be fatal. “Eating mushrooms gathered in the wild is risky,” experts usually caution.
Claudius II and Pope Clement VII were both killed by enemies who poisoned them with deadly mushrooms. Buddha died, according to legend, from a mushroom that grew underground. Buddha was given the mushroom by a peasant who believed it to be a delicacy.
Edible mushroom species have been found in association with 13,000 year old ruins in Chile, but the first reliable evidence of mushroom consumption dates to several hundred years BC in China. In Asia, mushrooms are favored for their earthy flavor and their therapeutic properties.
In fact, recent studies have confirmed that the health benefits associated with mushrooms are numerous and wide-ranging. Mushrooms are high in antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and other healthful substances that may fight cancer, some experts claim.
Research conducted at California’s Beckman Research Institute shows that mushroom cells contain mechanisms that suppress breast and prostate cancer cells.
Other research suggests that some mushroom extracts can help reduce cancer treatment side effects. When people took the mushrooms a week before they started treatment, they did appear to help with side effects of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, including sickness and hair loss.
In Japan, a study found shiitake mushroom to be a formidable cancer fighter. In 1969, scientists at Tokyo’s National Center Research Institute isolated a polysaccharide compound from shiitake they called lentinan. In laboratory trials, lentinan caused tumors in mice to regress or vanish in 80 percent to 100 percent of the subjects. Lentinan appears “to stimulate immune-system cells to clear the body of tumor cells.” It has also shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer.
Eating shiitake mushroom can also lower cholesterol. Research conducted in Japan identified a specific amino acid in shiitake that helps speed up the processing of cholesterol in the liver. In a 1974 study, 40 elderly individuals and 420 young women consumed 9 grams of dried shiitake or the equivalent amount of fresh shiitake (90 grams) every day for 7 days. After a week, total cholesterol levels had dropped 7 percent to 15 percent in the older group, and 6 percent to 12 percent in the young women.
Here are more reasons for eating shiitake mushrooms: They may also lower blood pressure in those with hypertension, lower serum cholesterol levels, increase libido, stimulate the production of interferon which has anti-viral effects, and has proven effective against hepatitis in some cases.
The abalone mushrooms are a natural source of statin drugs, specifically the isomers of lovastatin. In 2009, a case control study of the eating habits of 2,018 woman revealed that women who consumed mushrooms had an approximately 50 percent lower incidence of breast cancer. Women who consumed mushrooms and green tea had a 90 percent lower incidence of breast cancer.
Edible mushrooms are not only good *for the stomach alone but for also for the total well-being of a person. As such, Filipino farmers are urged to cultivate mushroom as additional source of income. “Mushrooms can be grown in enclosed indigenous structures and with minimal capital,” said Alice Ilaga, the biotechnology program chief of the Department of Agriculture.
Mushroom cultivation is an income generating activity that can be done both in rural and urban areas. Mushrooms can be grown on commercial or small-scale using either highly urbane equipment or low-cost materials and agricultural wastes.
By going into mushroom production, farmers can utilize the huge volume of agricultural “waste” that are all over the country-rice straws, corn stalks and banana leaves, to name a few. The following lowing can also be used as bedding materials for mushroom culture: dry water lilies, jute sacks, legume straws, and sugarcane bagasse.
Economic analysts have seen mushrooms as another major Philippine crop. The local market for the crop is reportedly growing. In several Makati supermarkets, for instance, mushrooms are among the fast-selling items in their vegetables section.
SOURCE: Agri Business Week
Topics: Agri-Business, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Weed Grass Identification
By goGreen | January 30, 2012
A properly maintained lawn grows thick enough to choke out any weeds. However, a lawn weakened by weather or disease gives way to the sprouting of unwanted weeds. Before starting any weed-killing program, identify the type of weeds growing in your lawn. Weed grasses in particular prove adept at blending in with the rest of your lawn, making it difficult to get rid of them.
Weed Grasses
Weed grasses closely resemble lawn grasses, making them more difficult to identify than other weed types. True grasses, grassy weeds grow as monocots, meaning they germinate from a seed and produce one leaf. According to Texas A&M University, these weeds develop hollow stems with joints and leaf blades that stretch longer than their width. They also grow a multitude of fibrous roots and have unremarkable flowers.
Preventing Weeds
The best weed prevention method is to maintain a healthy lawn. Proper lawn maintenance, according to American Lawns, includes fertilizing along soil test recommendations, watering deeply while letting the ground dry between watering, and mowing at an adequate height, usually no lower than 2 ½ inches.
Sometimes, though, weeds grow despite the best prevention attempts, and application of chemical herbicides becomes the next step. A preemergent herbicide usually works the best to combat the unwanted presence of weeds. When using any chemical or herbicide, make certain to read the label and follow directions.
Bermuda Grass
A summer-loving weed, Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) rapidly advances across your lawn as the weather warms. Also an annual grass, it has fine textured leaves and grows in a creeping pattern. If this weed grass sprouts in a lawn with cool season grasses, it can quickly take over.
Crabgrass
Another annual weed grass, crabgrass (Digitaria sp.) also grows best in the unrelenting summer heat that can quickly turn green lawns brown. Crabgrass does not grow in shady places, as it requires full sun. The life span of this grass weed begins as a seed that sprouts in May and dies at the first hard frost.
Dallis Grass
Dallis grass grows as a perennial grass weed best identified by its long seed heads. Its foliage has a light green color and it thrives in wet, hot conditions. Its growth pattern follows a circular motion as it expands out from the center of the weed.
Quackgrass and Bentgrass
These two weed grasses also grow as perennials. Bentgrass has shallow roots and puffy, fine-textured leaves; the best way to remove it is by cutting it out. Quackgrass, on the other hand, grows underground through rhizomes that continue to sprout if not completely removed.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Gardening, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Food From Dragon Fruit
By goGreen | January 30, 2012
Other than the flesh of the Dragon Fruit, which commands a high price, the unopened buds, dried flowers, and fruit skin can also be processed into food, according to Edith Dacuycuy, owner of the REFMAD Farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, the first Dragon Fruit farm in the Ilocos Region.
She was more than glad to share her recipes. The unopened buds can be made into a delicious fresh salad. But that is if you can afford it since the buds are the ones that develop into fruits. All you need are five flower buds weighing about half a kilo. Wash the buds and slice into four from base to tip. Steam to preserve all food nutrients. Add a little salt to steaming water. Remove the steamed buds from the steamer and then mix it with mayonnaise, catsup, and a little pepper to taste.
The dried flowers, on the other hand, can be cooked into lumpiang shanghai. Soak the dried flowers in water for five minutes, wash twice, and then chop finely. Peel carrots and chop “finely with garlic. Mix all ingredients together, including a pinch of pepper and a small sachet of seasoning mix. Wrap the mixture with lumpia wrapper. Fry just before serving to maintain crispiness.
Likewise, the dried flowers can be used as an ingredient for sinigang na baboy or bulalo, which are cooked the traditional way. All you have to do is to take five dried flowers, and wash them. Cut the bottom portion, about an inch from the base and then strip the other parts by hand. Add to almost cooked meat.
The fruit skin can also be cooked with malunggay leaves. Wash the skin and slice it into the size of ampalaya cuts. Add to boiling water with seasoning mix. When the skin is already partly cooked, add malunggay leaves. Serve hot.
The fruit skin can also be processed into jam. All you need are 1 kg fruit skin, 200 grams, each of condensed milk, sugar, and margarine, and 100 grams water. Blend the fruit skin and then mix the ingredients together. Cook under medium heat. Constantly stir when the mixture has already become sticky. Let the mixture cool before placing it in jars.
You’ll never know how tasty these recipes are until you try.
SOURCE: Agri Business Week
Topics: Food Processing, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Tomato Plant Problems
By goGreen | January 30, 2012
Tomatoes aren’t always the easiest vegetables to grow. A number of problems can affect tomato plants, decreasing harvest and causing headaches for gardeners.
Tomato Blight
Tomato blight is a fungus-like pathogen that attacks the plants. Signs of blight are brown spots or lesions and a white fungal growth. If blight is found on plants, the plants should be discarded. However, any green tomatoes on the plants can still be picked and allowed to ripen indoors.
Blossom End Rot
Blossom end rot is when a dry, deep decay develops on the blossom end of the tomato. It is caused by low calcium levels in the tomato and can be difficult to correct. Instead, properly prepare soil prior to planting to prevent this condition.
Insects
Aphids, psyllids and hornworms can attack tomato plants. Judy Sedbrook, a master gardener with the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, says that all can be controlled with insecticidal soap, which can be found in hardware stores and gardening centers.
Leaf Curl
Leaf curl is when leaves at the bottom of the plant begin to roll upward and become thick, and can be caused by periods of cool, rainy weather. Fortunately, it does not affect plant growth or fruit production.
Cracking
Cracking occurs after a period of wet weather, followed by a dry spell. While there’s no way to repair the damage, cracking can be prevented with regular watering.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Crops & Vegetables | No Comments »
The Exotic Marang of Mindanao and Its Recipes
By goGreen | January 29, 2012
Marang (Artocarpus odoratissimus) is not only as exotic as it sounds but also as it looks and tastes.
This tropical fruit tree that wouldn’t thrive in regions where temperature falls below 32° above zero looks like jackfruit and seeded breadfruit, but it is superior in quality to either of these. It’s indigenous in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao where it is popularly grown especially from July to September.
Marang tree is medium-sized to large. It grows to about 25 meters with a trunk diameter of 40 cm. It could grow in a wide range of soil types-from light to heavy soils-but it will grow better in deep, loamy soil with a pH ranging from 5.5-8. It also yields best in places that are elevated at 800 m above sea level.
It is propagated by budding, grafting, and marching. The seedlings are allowed to harden for at least two months when these are at least 1 foot tall with three pairs of leaves each. The ideal distance between seedlings in an open field is 6 m x 6 m in a square system. It can be intercropped while it is still unproductive. It starts to bear fruits at 4 to 5 years of age.
Its fruit is 16 cm long, 13 cm in diameter, and weighs about 1,000 to 1,800 grams. The thick, fleshy rind is thickly studded with greenish, yellowish, blunt spines. Inside it is a white, soft, sweet, and aromatic flesh from which many whites seeds easily separate. The fruit is also highly perishable that’s why it is carefully harvested by cutting its peduncle and then placing it in woven baskets or boxes.
Marang is a popular fruit dessert in Mindanao. After all, it is nutritious; it contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorus, iron, retinol, beta-carotene, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid. The fruit has also a strong scent especially when it is ripe. Once opened, it should be consumed immediately or in just a few hours as it easily loses flavor and oxidizes. The seeds are also edible; these are boiled or roasted and can be processed into flour.
These are just some of the reason why marang has market potential. Its short shelf life, however, limits its uses but studies on postharvest and processing of marang are already undertaken to extend its shelf life.
One of these is the ongoing study titled “Improved Postharvest Technologies and Techno-Transfer for Marang”, which is funded by the High Value Commercial Crops and the Bureau of Agricultural Research of the Department of Agriculture. It is being conducted by Dr. Emma K. Sales, Dr. Nicolas A. Turnos, and Prof. Josephine G. Tangonan of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM).
Recipes for marang are also formulated, and among these are marang jam, paste, marmalade, jelly, concentrate, brittle, and flour. These are formulated and tested by retired USM professor Virgilia Tacardon Paclibar.
Topics: Food Processing, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
How to Grow an Avocado Tree From a Nut
By goGreen | January 29, 2012
Avocado trees are large,evergreen trees that produce small, oblong fruits. Avocados have a dark, tough outer skin with soft, squishy bright green flesh inside. At the center of an avocado fruit is a dark brown, hard pit, or nut, roughly the size of a ping pong ball. This pit is the seed of the avocado and when planted properly, grows into another avocado tree. So save your next avocado pit and try your hand at growing your very own avocado tree.
Things You’ll Need
- Water
- Paper towel
- Knife
- Avocado seed
- Small container
- Commercial potting soil mix
- Larger container
- Toothpicks
- Fertilizer
- Tarp
Planting the Seed in Soil
1. Wash the seed to ensure it is free of debris, drying it off with a paper towel. Use a knife to make a small, thin slice in both the top and bottom of the seed.
2. Fill a small container with commercial potting soil mix. Make sure that the container is shallow and has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom.
3. Determine the approximate length of your seed. (There’s no need to measure it. Just get a visual approximation.) Plant the seed two to three times deeper than it is long.
4. Keep the seed in a warm area (with temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and keep the seed moist by watering daily. Do not allow the soil to become soggy.
5. Allow the seed to germinate for up to 15 days, finally re-potting the seed into a larger, well-drained container filled with high-quality potting mix. If you live in a warm climate or if there is no danger of frost in your climate, plant the seedling directly into the ground, if you wish.
Planting the Seed in Water
1. Poke three to four toothpicks into the avocado seed. Space them equally around the top and insert them horizontally into the seed, pushing them in just enough to hold the seed in place for the next step.
2. Fill a small container with water, placing the seed onto the top of the container. (Let the toothpicks rest on top of the container to suspend the seed in the water.)
3. Place the container with the seed in a warm location with indirect light.
4. Change the water in the container at least once each week for the next 15 days.
5. Re-pot the seed in a larger container filled with high-quality potting mix once it has sprouted.
Care of the Tree
1. Water your avocado tree at least daily whether planted indoors or outdoors. If you have a wet winter, avoid watering daily in December and January.
2. Fertilize your avocado tree regularly once it reaches one year in age. Fertilize every two weeks during spring and summer, and fertilize every six weeks during the winter.
3. Protect your tree from frost by covering it with a tarp when temperatures drop to freezing levels.
Tips and Warnings!
Over-watering your avocado tree or leaving it in soil that is too damp will cause root rot, a condition that causes the roots to die out and subsequently kills the tree. Signs of root rot include yellow, drooping leaves and muddy-looking soil surrounding your tree.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Crops & Vegetables, Gardening, How to | No Comments »
How to Tell How Tall a Tree Is
By goGreen | January 29, 2012
According to the International Society of Arboriculture, trees have lived on Earth longer than any other organism. The oldest trees in the world, the Bristlecone pines, have existed for 4,600 years in the United States. Even more remarkably, the tallest tree in the world measures more than 360 feet. If you have ever wondered how tall a tree stands in your own yard, with a little bit of math you can figure out the answer. If you know your own height, then you can determine the height of a tree.
Things You’ll Need
- Your height
- Measuring tape
- Notebook
- Pencil
Instructions
1. Pick a sunny day to perform the measuring process. After all, you need the sun in order to see shadows, so choose the brightest day possible.
2. Measure the distance from the base of the tree trunk to the end of the tree’s shadow. Use a measuring tape and carry a notebook and a pencil to write your findings. The longer the measuring tape, the better. Measuring tapes come in all sizes, some of the longest tape measures stretch to 300 feet.
3. Stand next to the base of the tree trunk and measure the length of your own shadow using the measuring tape. You will probably need some assistance with this measurement, so ask a friend to help you. Write the measurement in your notebook.
4. Multiply the length of the tree’s shadow by your own height. In other words, if the length of the tree’s shadow is 30 feet and you’re five feet tall, the equation would look like this: 30 x 5= 150.
5. Next, divide the result of the above equation by the length of your shadow. So, if the length of your shadow is 10 feet, then the next part of the equation should look like this: 150 ÷ 10= 15. Therefore, the tree in question has a height of 15 feet.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Extracting Cash From Cashew
By goGreen | January 29, 2012
In recent years, more and more people are eating cashew nuts. The reason: health experts and nutritionists considered it as “nature’s vitamin pill.”
In the Philippines, many farmers are reluctant to venture into tree farming because it does not provide them immediate returns, unlike the growing of agricultural crops. But in the long run, tree farming is more profitable since it means more money and conservation. Trees help conserve the land by minimizing excessive soil erosion and run-off. Wood products mean additional income to the farmer. In addition, a farmer doesn’t have to attend his trees all the time once they have grown up.
One tree that can be a good source of income for farmers and simultaneously help the environment is cashew (scientific name: Anacardium occidentale). The forestry department of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB) puts it this way: “Planting cashew trees in idle lands may be the best solution to our land conservation problem. As an agricultural crop, cashew trees provide vegetative cover to barren lands and help minimize soil erosion. There is also money in cashew. Its fruit has varied uses and commands a good price in the market.”
The cashew was formerly thought, by some writers at least, to be indigenous both in America and Asia. It has been shown, however, that it was originally confined to America, whence it was carried to Asia and Africa by early Portuguese voyagers.
The early missionaries introduced cashew from South America and India to the Philippines. Today, it grows abundantly in Palawan, Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Zambales, and Bataan. It is also found in other parts of the country, including the four provinces of Davao.
Unfortunately, cashew has always been neglected by Filipinos. Perhaps, only the people from Brazil fully appreciate the importance of cashew. Father J.S. Tavares, who studied Brazilian fruits, wrote of the tree: “It furnishes food and household remedies to the poor, a refreshing beverage to the sick, a sweetmeat for tables richly served, and resin and good timber for industrial uses.”
The uses of cashew fruit are varied and profitable. Although acrid in taste, the fruit is juicy and contains a substantial amount of important values. It can be eaten raw or processed into jams, syrups, and candies. In India, unripe fruits are used in the manufacture of curried vegetables and pickles.
The juice, after its astringent and acrid substances are removed, have been found suitable for production of a number of beverages like classified juice, cloudy juice, juice blends with lime, pineapple, orange, grape and apple juice, juice concentrates, and spiced juice. The juice can also be brewed into wine for local consumption and for export.
The fruit’s kernel, called “dessert nut,” is second only to almond in value. One cashew tree produces between200 and 30o cashew nuts in a year. Sixty percent of cashew kernels are consumed in the form of snacks while the remaining 4o% are included in confectionery. In the Philippines, local processors use only the roasted and dried kernel in the manufacture of ice cream, confectionaries, and hardener for chocolate and pastries.
In recent years, more and more people are eating cashew nuts. The reason: health experts and nutritionists considered it as “nature’s vitamin pill.” Cashew nuts has various health advantages as they are significant sources of iron (essential for red blood cell function and enzyme activity), magnesium (promotes energy release and bone growth), phosphorus (builds bones and teeth), zinc (essential to digestion and metabolism) and selenium (has important antioxidant properties, thus protecting the body from cancer). These nuts are also good sources of protein.
Cashew nuts do have a relatively high fat content, but it is considered “good fat.” This is due to the agreeable fat ratio in the nut, 1:2:1 for saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, respectively, which scientists say is the ideal ratio for optimal health. In addition, cashew nuts also contain significant amounts of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties that protects the body from cancer and heart disease.
Research has also shown that chemicals in cashew nuts kill gram positive bacteria, a pervasive mouth affliction that causes tooth decay, acne, and tuberculosis. Eating cashew nuts at moderate levels, some say, can eliminate abscessed teeth, though this has not been proven yet by proper clinical trials.
Another possible source of income for farmers is the shell of the nut, which is a good source of an important liquid called CNSL (cashew nut shell liquid). CNSL is one of the few natural resins that is highly heat resistant and is used in braking systems and in paint manufacture. It contains a substance called phenol, which is used in the preparation of plastics.
Some important derivatives of CNSL, like hydrogenated oils and ethyl ether, are used in the manufacture of some industrial, chemical, and pharmaceutical products.
The main markets for CNSL are the United States, the European Union (mainly the United Kingdom), Japan and the Republic of Korea.
“If industrially exploited, the cashew tree can help alleviate many of our socio-economic problems by way of offering employment to the many unemployed,” the UPLB forestry department contends. “A cashew cottage industry can easily absorb idle manpower in the rural areas since only the normal skills of the workers are required in processing many cashew products.”
Cashew is hardy and can grow well on dry soil, sandy open beaches, and poor laterite soil. Leaf and grass mulching and composting around each tree give the cashew tree moisture during the dry season. It can also thrive well on soils that are too poor and too dry for other crops. It requires no cultivation, irrigation, and fertilization.
In India, cashew trees are grown even in harsh conditions. “It is planted upon the low hilly ridges which intersect the country in every direction, andwhich are too dry and stony for other crops. The cultivation gives no trouble…” wrote one scribe.
There are two types of cashew: the sweet and the astringent. However, several varieties of cashew exist but only three are recommended for commercial growing. These are Guevarra, Nagbayto, and Makiling. Guevarra, a seedling selection originated from San Marcelino, Zambales, produces yellow fruits with medium-sized nuts containing about 2.7 gram kernel. Moderately prolific, Nagbayto produces yellow fruits and nuts that contain 2.9 gram kernel. Makiling, on the other hand, produces big, red-skinned fruits with large nuts containing about 3.2 gram kernels.
Just a warning: The cashew tree is related to poison ivy and the shell of the cashew nuts contains an irritating poison. People who touch the shell sometimes develop skin rashes and blisters.
SOURCE: Agri Business Week
Topics: Agri-Business, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Philippine’s Agriculture Sector Grew by 2.34% in 2011
By goGreen | January 28, 2012
PHILIPPINES – The Philippine agriculture industry grew by 2.34 per cent in 2011, bannered by the crops, livestock and poultry subsectors, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.
The DA said the combined positive performance of the three subsectors served as a cushion, as the fishery subsector registered negative growth due to dwindling fish population caused by overfishing, illegal fishing practices, and successive typhoons during the second semester of 2011.
Total farm production was valued at P1.4 trillion at current prices, 11.5 per cent more than in 2010, it said.
The crops subsector — which contributed one-half or 49.6 per cent to total agricultural output — registered a 4.82 per cent increase, led by palay (paddy rice) and corn.
Likewise, palay harvest totaled 16.68 million metric tons (MMT), 5.8 per cent more than in 2010 (15.77 MMT), while corn production amounted to 6.97 MMT, 9.3 per cent more than in 2010 (6.38 MMT).
Sugarcane production also grew significantly to 28.38 MMT, 58.3 per cent more than in 2010 (17.93 MMT). Tobacco, pineapple and rubber also posted positive gains last year.
Total gross value of production of the crops subsector reached P804 billion at current prices, 19.4 per cent more than in 2010.
The livestock subsector, which contributed 16 per cent to the total agricultural output, registered a 1.99 per cent growth. It was led by the hog industry which produced 1.94 MMT, 2.2 per cent more than in 2010 (1.89 MMT). Cattle and dairy production also increased by 1.8 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.
The livestock subsector grossed P212.9 billion at current prices, one percent higher than in 2010.
Chicken production increased by 4.5 per cent, while chicken egg production moved up by 4.2 per cent. Total value of poultry products amounted to P158.8 billion at current prices.
The fisheries subsector, which accounted for one-fifth or 20.7 per cent to total agriculture output, decreased by 4.1 per cent, as commercial and municipal fish production dipped by 16.3 per cent and 2.9 per cent, respectively. Aquaculture production, however, grew by 2.4 per cent.
The fishery subsector grossed P225.1 billion at current prices, 1.85 per cent more than in 2010.
Commercial and municipal fish catch declined due to overfishing, illegal fishing activities, and rough seas and strong winds during the second semester caused by several typhoons. Meanwhile, the DA, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, will implement conservation policies and measures, like imposing no fishing during breeding season at selected seas to allow fish stocks to regenerate.
Earlier, the DA-BFAR implemented a three-month no fishing season for sardines at Sulu and Visayan Seas, starting 1 December, 2011. The policy is implemented in consultation and coordination with commercial and municipal fishermen and industry stakeholders.
Overall, farmers, fishers and ruralfolk were better off in 2011, as farmgate prices of various farm and fishery products increased by about nine per cent. Farmers of major crops enjoyed higher average prices, at 14 per cent more than in 2010.
SOURCE: The Poultry Site
Topics: Miscellaneous, News & Updates | No Comments »
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