The Davao City Agricullturist Office (CAgro) has secured 50,000 seedlings to be distributed to cacao farmers this year, an official said.
CAgro Cacao Focal person Fe Oguio told Madayaw Davao on Thursday that they have secured 50,000 cacao seedlings from the Department of Agriculture.
“Sa Department of Agriculture naa ta’y na reserve nga 50,000 seedlings to be given to five organizations within Davao City sa cacao production areas (From the Department of Agriculture we have reserved 50,000 seedlings to be given to five organizations in Davao City’s cacao production areas),” Oguio said, adding that they aim to distribute the seedlings before the end of the second quarter.
She said that they have already identified organizations to be provided seedlings.
Last year, Oguio said the city was only able to distribute 25,000 cacao seedlings because of the challenges in producing them as harvest was then affected by extreme heat.
“This year, atoang target hopefully, ma surpass nato ang 25,000 na nahatag last year (This year our target is to surpass the 25,000 given last year),” she added
Oguio said that there is a high demand for cacao seedlings today because of the increase in the price of cacao seeds in the market.
“Grabe ang pagsipa sa presyo nag times three from the first quarter 2024 ang prize nga naa ra sa maximum of 40 pesos na wet beans going to third quarter until now ang presyo niya is nag times three (The price of cacao went up threefold in the first quarter of 2024, when it was only at a maximum of Php 40 pesos [per kilogram]. From the third quarter until now, the price has risen thrice),” Oguio said.
Oguio encouraged farmers to grow cacao and take good care of their plants for higher yield. They must also take advantage of the opportunity while the price of cacao is high.
“Based on forecast, two years una mubalik sa presyo sa niagi nga first quarter [last year] ang presyo but definitely dili na gyud siya parehas sa first quarter last year mag increase na gyud siya based on the demand, so i take nato ang opportunity nga maka income ta sa cacao (Based on the forecast, it will take two years before it will come back to the first quarter of 2024 price but definitely it will not go back to the previous [low] price based on demand, so we should take the opportunity to make an income out of cacao),” Oguio said.
Oguio said that currently Davao City has a total of 7,933 cacao farmers, and more than 5,000 hectares for cacao production.
For farmers, Oguio said that they will continue to provide technical assistance through the agricultural extension workers.
“More tao ang naa sa field para mag provide og technical assistance mag tudlo mag conduct og trainings at the same time ginalink pud nato ang atong mga farmers kinsa ang mga buyers para ma mubo nato ang chain nga dili na daghan pag agian nga traders ang atong farmer para mas mabenefit pa nila ang presyo (We have more workers in the field to provide technical assistance, to teach and conduct trainings and at the same time, to link our farmers to buyers so that the chain will be shorter and they will not go through many traders and benefit more from the current price),” she said.
Oguio encouraged farmers to go to CAgro district offices to avail of guidance and technical assistance provided by agricultural extension workers. CIO
