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Durian is a highly suitable crop in the western
part of Sarangani particularly in the municipalities of Kiamba
and Maitum. The province’s potential area suitable for
Durian production is 135,174 hectares.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist reports
that Durian (Duno Zibethines Murray) is fast becoming an important
fruit crop in the province with a considerable increased number
of consumers.
Its usage is no longer limited to just jams
and candies (pastilles) but is now utilized as special blends
and flavorings by some food establishments in SOCSKSARGEN.
In the local market, a price per kilo goes as
high as Php 80.00 or more making the demand quite great. Aside
from our native varieties, there are also several species of
hybrid Durian in the province.
Mixed varieties of Durian are mostly planted
in the municipalities of Kiamba and Maitum.
Mango (Mangifera Indica Linn), the national
fruit of the Philippines, has also been noted to be highly suitable
in Sarangani. Study says that the province could produce mango
of high quality in terms of taste and size because of its favorable
climatic condition specifically in the areas of Malungon, Alabel,
Maasim, Malapatan and in some parts of Glan.
At least 5,000 hectares of Mango plantation
exist in Sarangani. The harvested fruit is marketed locally
and some are exported to Japan and Singapore. Some 138,805 hectares
have been identified potential for mango production in the province.
One of the favorite fruits of the Filipinos
for its saccharine-like taste that comes in a number of varieties,
banana is a highly suitable crop in Sarangani.
Sarangani has best yields of banana fruit crop,
which is best cultivated in sandy loam to clay loam soils with
excellent drainage and liberal amounts of organic matter that
are rich in the province’s ground.
With an average amount of rainfall per year,
Sarangani is ideal place for banana industry having a potential
area of 118,697 hectares. Large existing banana plantation is
found in the municipality of Alabel.
Rubber (Habea Brsalienses), the versatile tree,
which produces indispensable materials for modern living, is
mostly grown in the municipalities of Kiamba and Maitum. Some
parts of Malungon are also suitable since it has good rainfall.
Sarangani has a total productive area of 526
hectares. Rubber growers usually market their harvests directly
to Davao City.
The province has also a 5-hectare techno demo
on Rubber called Lam Lunay Research and Learning Center (LRLC),
which serves as a showcase of 5 different farming system promoting
food production through environment-friendly farming and maximum
land utilization to increase production.
The LRLC has also budwood garden with 2,500
stocks reserved for propagation. The potential area for rubber
production in Sarangani is 135,174 hectares.
Introduced in Asia through Indonesia in 1848,
Oil Palm (Elaeis Guinoenses, Jacq) is known for its vital oil
and nutritive value provided by its main product, palmitic oil.
The co-product, lauric oil is extracted from the kernel of its
seed, which is key ingredient in making high quality soaps and
detergents.
In Sarangani Province, there is no existing
oil palm plantation but the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist
(OPAg) through its Commercial Crops and Development Program
(CCDP) has identified 117,553 hectares as potential area for
Oil Palm production.
It has also zonified the area of Indigenous
Peoples (IPs) specifically in the municipalities of Maasim and
Malungon for future Oil palm investment. Recently, the province
has entered into negotiations with investors from Malaysia for
possible investment in Malungon.
Abaca is also suitable in Sarangani due to its
favorable weather condition, topography and location that are
pre-requisites to produce high quality fibers. Sarangani has
a potential area of 118,697 hectares for abaca production.
In fact, in the early 60s to 70s Abaca was the
main product produced by farmers of Kiamba and Maitum particularly
the natives marketing their produce then to Davao City.
At present, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist
through Food Security Program, in coordination, with Fiber Industry
Development Authority (FIDA) has established one-hectare abaca
nursery to produce 20,000 to 40,000 seeds for planting materials.
The seeds will be ready for distribution in
the middle of this year (2002). The Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist hopes to accommodate investors more or less 20
hectares for Abaca production.
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