Table salt set to be promoted as organic fertilizer in Davao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Harnessing table salt as cheap organic fertilizer to increase coconut yield is set to be promoted by the government with the support of a Japanese firm. This was discussed during the month-long seminar workshop of the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project, a project of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In a paper presented by Dr. Severino S. Magat of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), he proposed using table salt to maximize the yield of and provide chlorine for coconut plantations. He said that at least 40 coconut-producing provinces were found to be "severely chlorine deficient" in a nationwide survey. In a long-term study of salt application, it was learned that applying 1.5 kg of salt per tree annually was considered the most effective and economical way to increase copra weight, nut and copra yield per hectare. "The importance of this technology should not be overlooked, much less ignored," Mr. Magat said. "To maximize output and obtain optimum returns, the coconut tree must be cared for, freed from diseases and fertilized." The coconut agency in the region is rehabilitating 12,000 hectares of coconut farms in the next two years which Lornito U. Orillaneda, regional director of the PCA here, expects will create a surge in production in two years’ time. The Coconut Industry Cluster of the Davao Region said the potential for growth for the coconut industry remains high with rising demand for coconut and nut products in the world market. To date, copra’s buying price is pegged at an average of P31 per kilogram, according to the Trade department’s regional office. Among the primary products derived from coconut are coconut oil, desiccated coconut and copra. Only 20% of these products go to the local market while the rest is exported. Davao Region has an estimated 460,700 hectares planted to coconut and is host to facilities that process virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, granulated charcoal and activated carbon. As of end-2007, coconut products were among the top 10 export commodities of the region. Activated carbon/charcoal/dust/briquettes ranked fifth with $33.2 million in export value, a surge of 14.88% compared to the previous year’s figures. Desiccated coconut chip was sixth with an export value of $13.9 million or a 56.18% increase from 2006. — Joel B. Escovilla, BusinessWorld