Agriculture Business Week

Woment members of the Buhi Ecuminical Development Association, Inc. (BEDAI) are making handicraft items out of water hyacinth (more popularly called water lily) from Lake Buhi in Camarines Sur. The products include table runners, placemats, canisters, bags, slippers and wall decors.

The BEDAI members are wives of farmers engaged in the development projects of the Department of Agriculture in the municipality. The members sought the help of the Department of Trade and Industry and a local non-government organization to start a local water-lily-based small to medium-size enterprise.

Considered a weed, the water hyacinth can live and reproduce while floating on the surface of freshwaters. The plant size ranges from 6 inches to 38 inches, depending on its growing condition. It can multiply very fast and could cause infestation of large areas of water in no time, creating various problems.

Posted on May 29th, 2010 under Special Report, Textile. Tags: Fiber, Hyacinth, Textile, Water, Water Hyacinth. Comments: 7

Catarman, Northern Samar – Unknown to many, the abaca produced by the small farmers in Northern Samar and Leyte provinces are the best abaca fiber in the world and it has a good market, said a prominent businessman here.

Alex Tan, president of the Philippine Abaca Fiber Exporters Association, said the abaca fibers produced by the small farmers from the remote towns of Northern Samar and Leyte provinces have the best quality of abaca and it is known worldwide as the best abaca in the world.

The Bicol region is second only in terms of abaca production and quality of abaca fiber, Tan said.

(more…)

Posted on May 28th, 2010 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Abaca, Fiber, Visayas. Comments: None

A 150-percent increase in disease-free abaca plantlets was recorded from tissue culture technique while 114 kilograms of dried fibers per day are produced by a portable stripping machine introduced to abaca farmers.

This was according to a team of researchers led by Dr. Ruben M. Gapasin of the National Abaca Research Center (NARC) as he presented the NARC-developed production and post-harvest technologies during the recently concluded National Conference on Natural Fibers held at Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City. He explained that with tissue culture techniques, or the growing and propagation of plant cells, tissues, and organs on an artificial medium under sterile and controlled environment, 124,518 virus-free abaca plantlets were produced from 500 suckers. Tissue-cultured plantlets are pegged at P4.50 each while plantlets from conventional breeding method sell at P8 to P10 apiece.

(more…)

Posted on April 6th, 2010 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Abaca, Fiber, Textile. Comments: 6

Saba, Lakatan, and Bongolan bananas could be considered additional or alternative to Cavendish fibers as source of raw materials for textile manufacture.

In the study conducted by a senior science research specialist at the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) on the potential of fibers from the trunks of six banana cultivars—Saba, Lakatan, Bongolan, Pakil, Saksik, and Tordan—for textile production, Saba shows potential for high fiber yield based on this cultivar’s low residual gum content. Ms. Marites S. de Leon, the researcher, explained that the residual gum content is one of the major considerations in assessing cellulosic fiber’s suitability for textile use. She stressed that fiber with very high gum content will not be economically viable for textile use because such fiber will require higher pretreatment inputs to attain the desired gum content level which results in low fiber yield. Among the six cultivars, Saba fibers have residual gum content close to that of the Cavendish fibers, which have been identified as suitable for textile purposes. The residual gum content of Bongolan and Lakatan, although significantly different from that of the Cavendish, is still within the acceptable gum content range.

In terms of strength, results of the study show that Lakatan was the strongest among the six cultivars, with mean tensile strength even higher than that of the Cavendish.

(more…)

Posted on April 5th, 2010 under Fruits, Textile. Tags: Banana, Bongolan, Fiber, Lakatan, Saba, Textile. Comments: None

The lowly saluyot will debut on the fashion ramp last December as a premium, earth-friendly fabric.

The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) will unveil the new fabric during a national conference in celebration of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) International Year of Natural Fibers.

“We have weaved 80 percent polyester with 20 percent spinned saluyot fibers to make smooth fabrics; the mix can go as high as 40 percent saluyot that has been treated to make fiber,” says PTRI Director Carlos C. Tomboc. “To make an all-natural blend, saluyot may also be weaved with cotton and is ideal for curtains and drapes, beddings, table runners and linens as well as burlaps for nets, ropes and geotextiles against soil erosion.”

(more…)

Posted on February 9th, 2010 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Abaca, Fabric, Fiber, Saluyot. Comments: 8

The technology to commercially tap three nontraditional sources of natural fiber has been developed by the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology headed by Dr. Carlos Tomboc.

The three sources are maguey, saluyot and water hyacinth better known locally as water lily. Products made of these natural fibers were showcased last Wednesday at the national conference on natural fibers held at a Makati hotel.

The products include materials for making barong, lady’s dresses, handbags, home decors, accessories and many other products made of fabric. The fibers can also be manufactured into nonwoven fabrics which have various applications in industry like insulating or sound-proofing materials in rooms and car interiors.

(more…)

Posted on December 4th, 2009 under Textile. Tags: Fiber, Hyacinth, Textile, Water Hyacinth. Comments: 1

The stalks of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) are a viable natural source of alternative textile material, according to the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI).

Researchers at PTRI are studying water hyacinth fibers as raw material for the manufacture of clothing and home fabrics. Processing the fibers with polyester staples initially produced blended yarns with 20–35 percent water hyacinth component. The stalks went through a series of chemical and mechanical treatment to achieve the crimp property of wool for better processing, reduce the plant’s glue-like or gum content, and soften the fibers to make them fine and fit for knitting and weaving into apparel and other home textiles.

For a yarn count of 15 Ne suitable for apparels, blends of 80/20 and 65/35 of polyester/water hyacinth fibers were used. The same blends of polyester/water hyacinth fibers were used to get a yarn count of 10–12 Ne ideal for home textiles such as curtains, upholstery, table runners, napkins, bed cover, pillow case, and other items found at home.

(more…)

Posted on August 31st, 2009 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Fiber, Textile, Water Hyacinth. Comments: 33

The banana plant has always been a source of fiber. Its shoots and leaves are commonly used in producing fiber, but its trunk usually goes to waste as it is difficult to extract fiber from it.

Well not anymore. With the multi-fiber tandem stripper, one could produce per hour about 1,000 kilograms of banana fiber from banana trunk.

Designed and fabricated by Engr. Hospicio Luarca Agustin Jr. of Midsayap, North Cotabato, this machine can also extract fibers from pineapple, ramie, kenaf, and other fibercrop at the same rate. That’s because it is spring-loaded so it can be adjusted according to the softness or hardness of the fiber crop, Agustin said.

(more…)

Posted on July 8th, 2009 under Fruits, Textile. Tags: Banana, Fiber. Comments: 23

The premiere traditional rope fiber of the world continues to generate jobs and earns millions of dollars for the country. But how can this be sustained?

Abaca (Musa textiles Nee) belongs to the banana family (Musaceae) and is indigenous to the Philippines. Abaca fiber is superior over all other fibers of its class because of its great strength and its resistance to the action of water. Thus, it is the cordage of choice for ropes used in oil dredging or exploration, navies and merchant shipping (PCARRD, 2008).

Due to the importance of abaca industry to the country, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), one of the five sectoral councils under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), has allotted a total of Php142 million research funds for its rehabilitation.

(more…)

Posted on April 28th, 2009 under Other Crops. Tags: Abaca, Banana, Fiber, PCCARD. Comments: 22

The Philippine Textile Research Institute(PTRI) has set to launch this year a new set of natural fabrics made from three fiber plants sources. This was announced by PTRI Director Carlos C. Tomboc during the Institute’s 42nd Anniversary last February 25 held at PTRI Building in Taguig City.

Dr. Tomboc identified the three fiber plants as saluyot, maguey, and water hyacinth which, when blended with polyester, were found suitable for making into fabrics. The resulting fabrics can be ideal for use in apparels and home textiles such as curtains, mats, furniture cover, and table linens, according to studies conducted by PTRI researchers.

Now on its product development stage, Dr. Tomboc said that PTRI is coming out this year with fabrics blended with saluyot, maguey, and water hyacinth for apparel use.

(more…)

Posted on April 22nd, 2009 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Fabrics, Fiber, Maguey, Saluyot, Water Hyacinth. Comments: 1

The banana companies in Mindanao can make additional income from their banana stalks after harvest by processing them into fibers for the manufacture of paper. Normally, banana stalks are left to the elements to rot and be wasted after the fruits are harvested.

Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis and Rolyson B. Simpliciano, a biology professor of MMSU and her student, respectively, have found that the edible Pleurotus mushroom could be used to remove the lignin material from banana stalks and produce fibers for handmade paper making.

This could be considered a breakthrough since the banana industry produces voluminous amount of stalks that are normally considered waste. Moreover, their disposal is an added burden and entails additional operations cost.

(more…)

Posted on April 16th, 2009 under Fruits, Textile. Tags: Banana, Fiber, Mushroom, Pleurotus. Comments: 7

When she was interviewed some years back at her home in Bitaug, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, last Bagobo weaver Salinta Monon was apprehensive about the future of abaca, “I am very much concerned since we can’t find good source of abaca fiber for our tinalak, ” the national awardee said then.

The good news is abaca is staging a comeback. In southern and central Mindanao, government officials are supporting abaca,expansion. In fact, Kiamba in Sarangan ; Nabunturan in Compostela Valley, and Lake Sebu, Sultan Kudarat are including abaca as their priority product for development through the One Town, One Product program.

“Before, only provincial government units are engaged in abaca production and promotion, but this time, municipal government units have also signified support,” disclosed Olympio Macarayan, director of Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) in Region XI.

(more…)

Posted on April 7th, 2009 under Plant. Tags: Abaca, Fiber, Plants. Comments: 4

It is now possible to produce the disease-resistant abaca “Agbayanon” variety without using tissue culture.

The other method that can be used is clonal propagation wherein the new plants are produced outside the laboratory by using corm, according to tissue culture expert Michael Ibisate, who is also the research coordinator of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Sciences of the Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan,

Corm is the rounded underground storage organ of abaca consisting of swollen stem base.

(more…)

Posted on March 4th, 2009 under Plant, Textile. Tags: Abaca, Agbayanon, Disease, Fiber, Plant. Comments: 2