Cidami bares R&D program

THE Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami) is set to conduct a research and development program dubbed as “Cacao Plant Nutrition Research” in January next year.

The $250,000 research is in collaboration with the Universal Harvester Inc., International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), Acdi/Voca.

“At present we are still identifying the research area where we will conduct the research,” Valente Turtur, executive director of Cidami said during the press conference of the Kakao Konek 2015 or the National Cacao Congress yesterday at SMX Convention Center.

He said that Universal Harvester Inc., a US-based fertilizer company will fund the research and Acdi/ Voca will also provide the initial funding. IPNI will do the research while Cidami will identify the research area.

“The research is aimed at improving the cacao industry’s production,” Turtur said adding that at present the Philippine Cacao industry is at a level of producing an average of 700 grams per tree per year.

He added that one of its targets is to increase the average annual cacao tree production from 700 grams to over a kilogram with the intervention of fertilization and other technical assistance for the industry as the four-year research will be done.

In an earlier report, the country around 23,000 has of cacao producing area, 21,000 has of which are in Mindanao. A total of 10,000 to 12,000 metric tons (MT) is recorded as the country’s annual production, 3,000 MT of which is allocated for exportation.

Davao City has a total of 16,000 farmers devoted to cacao covering a total of 6,000 has.

KING RODRIGUEZ CHOCO CONGRESS. Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar, Cidami executive director Val Turtur, DA Jean Remoquillo, and DTI Engr. Edwin Banquerigo show off the cacao seeds being showcased in a two-day nationwide congress dubbed as “Kakao Konek 2015” at SMX...