 | Ilocos Norte to have largest coffee farm in Northern Luzon |
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mb.com.ph; February 2, 2015 Piddig, Ilocos Norte – The development of at least 1,600 – hectare upland area of this town covered with pine trees as a viable coffee plantation site is now underway through a convergent initiative of various national government agencies. Initially, a total of 10 hectares would serve as pilot area of the project. This was already planted with the seedlings of Arabica coffee variety. More or less 337,000 seedlings of kawkawate tree and 71,000 seedlings of timber tree specie were also planted on same site as shade for the growing coffee seedlings. Piddig Mayor Eduardo Guillen said the project was designed as development strategy to effectively utilize the town’s untapped land and labor resources and in turn to raise their economic output, create jobs and reduce poverty. COFFEE SEEDLING NURSERY – These workers are busy transplanting the seedling of Arabica, a coffee variety, in a five-hectare nursery located at Sitio Lammin, Dupitac, Piddig town that would be ready for massive planting. (Freddie G. Lazaro) Once the coffee plantation project is completed in Sitio Lammin, Barangay Dupitac, Piddig town, this would be the largest plantation in the Ilocos provinces that would also boost tourism and exports in the country. In the feasibility study of the impact of the project, almost 1,000 families cultivating two hectares each will be benefited. Most of the beneficiaries will be small and marginalized farmers and other individuals interested in agri – business. “Our project will create an inclusive growth through a well – developed coffee industry and agri – tourism,” he said. Economist said the project was expected to generate an average family income of P104,000 for lowland farms and P138,000 for highland farms. These figures are much higher than the P50,000-a-year that could be realized without the support of the project. The farm incomes would surpass the poverty threshold of about P90, 000 per family per year at full development in five years. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released a total of P62 million to the Piddig local government for the establishment of a nursery, seedlings production, plantation establishment and plantation maintenance and protection. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has set aside a R98-million fund for concreting the farm-to-market road leading to the Lammin Arabica plantation. At present, a total of 916, 701 coffee seedlings, with varieties such as excels, liberica, robusta and Arabica, are now being grown in five nurseries of Pidding town located at Maruaya, Cabaroan and Lammin and are ready for massive planting. (by Freddie G. Lazaro) |
