30-Year-Old Coffee Trees Can Still Be Made Productive
Farmers can make 30-year old coffee trees productive again by rejuvenating them.
This was found by researchers Felix P. Amancio and Jeanette H. Arnado at the Department of Agriculture 12-Central Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DA-CEMIARC) in Kidapawan City.
Coffee-a beverage crop grown in many regions of the Philippines where soil is deep, friable, well-drained, loamy, and rich in nutrients-is usually grown through seeds. But in time, the tree’s productivity diminishes, while the cost of production increases. Instead of planting coffee seedlings, rejuvenate old trees to attain initial production in a shorter time.
Using a chainsaw, cut down old trees 30 cm-40 cm from the base and then paint the cut portion with fungicide or insecticide to prevent the entry of pests and diseases. When sprouts or shoots are about 10 cm high, select and maintain 5-7 sprouts. Train the vertical sprouts towards the outside of the crown for maximum sunlight utilization.
The recommended plant height is 1-2 meters. Apply fertilizers based on soil analysis and employ pest and disease control as well as weed management. Flowering is observed 14 months after rejuvenation. Coffee berries mature in 6-8 months after blooming.
The researchers have also found that the cost of production per hectare on the first year of implementation is P20,200, P15,000 on the second year, and P13,600 on the third and fourth year. The return on investment obtained for the last three years of implementation were 75.67 percent, 108.1 percent, and 131.5 percent, respectively.
So if you have old coffee trees in your farm or backyard, don’t cut them, rejuvenate them.
