coconut trees in Laguna

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Thanks for your concern. We too are from Laguna. In fact our families are

inter-connected, right?

There really is no outright change that the government is trying to introduce or

if you mean the government is propagating the changing of the present breed of

the coconuts to be planted. Its really or actually the availability of the

planting materials that are being given out by the gov't.

Personally, from my observation (looking from the outside) the problem does not

only stem from here but also from the attitude of our old folks and how we

handle our so called responsibilities as landowners.

The government has nurseries with thousands and thousands of planting materials

that they are giving out. However these are in Zamboanga (Mindanao) and what

they are offering is that the landowners will just pay for the freight cost to

the point of destination. Many do not want to pay for this and they want it to

be given free of charge.

The landowner is free to plant whatever breed of coconut they prefer, and if

they still want to continue with the same kind or coconut breed, what they

should have done was to set aside their own planting materials and observed or

follow a re-planting schedule. But then the normal attitude of most of our

coconut landowners is just to wait and see and only when there is already a big

problem and they would start to move. There are strees in Laguna that are even

over a hundred years old and have become already unproductive. These are mostly

sold as coconut lumber but i do not know if they plant new trees in exchange it.

Anyway, do advice these farmers from San Pablo to go to PCA. They are very

accommodating and are really willing to help.

Regards,

Tess

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tess. There used to be a PCA office in Laguna, is it still in Alaminos?

I'll inform the farm owners to go to PCA. Some of them are old, and the trees

will not bear fruit til after so many years. Some are inclined to plant fruit

trees or cash crops like organic vegetables. Do you know if it is worthwhile to

plant the medicinal coconut tree called kalumbahin? this is also very

delicious, specially the buko juice and young meat.