And with fashion sense going increasingly clean and green—and veering away from petroleum-based plastic synthetic fibers— our natural fibers are in.
Demand will peak further, says Cecilia Gloria Soriano who heads the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA).
The natural fiber industry is prolific, producing 75,000 metric tons last year, up from 60,700mt in 2007.
Still, there is no room for self-satisfaction as the US$90-million fiber industry is threatened by developments here and abroad.
Our abaca, the country’s premier natural fiber, accounts for 90 percent of world production.
Local abaca consumption, says FIDA, is decreasing although at the minimal rate of 0.3 percent a year. But it is expected to increase this year because locals are looking for alternative fibers for their clothes.
The list of diseases that harm the abaca plant is an alphabet soup: from bacterial to fungal diseases, from bacterial wilt to rhizome rot, black leaf streak to leaf rust, from bunchy top to mosaic disease.
These diseases spread so fast, stunting plant growth or turning leaves yellow, Soriano said.
“All fiber-producing plants are infected by diseases, but with the others the situation is not as alarming as with the abaca situation,” Soriano explained.
Competition from abroad is also something to worry about.
While upstart Ecuador is far behind in abaca production, supplying 10 percent of global needs, it is not to be dismissed abaca there is planted in huge estates. Ecuador is the only country other than the Philippines that exports abaca.
A formidable rival expected to emerge is Indonesia. With the help of Filipino consultants, Indonesia is now into abaca growing big time. With its vast land area and a large labor pool, it can give the Philippines a run for its abaca money.
It is not a problem to scoff at as 95 percent of fiber production in the Philippines is from abaca; the others are pineapple, coconut coir, silk, buri, salago, maguey and ramie.
There are more than 94,000 abaca farmers in the country, cultivating 146,273 hectares of the hemp. It is a peasant economy as abaca plantations average 1.6 hectares per farmer.
Eastern Visayas (mainly Leyte) is the number one abaca-producing region, contributing almost 40 percent to annual production, followed by Bicol (mainly Catanduanes) and Southern Mindanao.
Low yield
FIDA, with the help of industry players, is looking at ways to address low yield and the shortage in high quality fibers, Soriano said.
Farmers often mix varieties because they lack planting materials that are disease-resistant.
Other fiber-source plants, just like abaca, have complex characteristics that make them susceptible to many pests and diseases. The serious absence of post-harvest processing facilities make life more difficult for farmers.
Field technicians and farmers also need an organized information system, especially on the latest recommended production and manufacturing technologies.
Compared to other countries, production costs are higher here. Farmers are deficient in entrepreneurial skills and financial assistance. Even technicians are scarce. In other words, growers of natural fibers face all the problems that beset agriculture in general.
Soriano said that the problems are being addressed by FIDA with the help of industry players. Projects include expanding abaca plantations by 13,000 hectares by 2010. Other efforts are in rehabilitation of areas damaged by typhoons, eradication of plant diseases and marketing promotion efforts.
Stakeholders remain optimistic that natural fibers will remain competitive despite the many limitations.
“Trading is expected to grow especially in pulp products. By 2012, for example, abaca exports will increase by 1.4 percent annually, with the share of pulp amounting to more than 70 percent of total exports,” Soriano said.
“We are expecting a higher abaca output this year,” she said.
