TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — The Office of Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) moves to revive the province’s once acclaimed Kalinga sweet- orange industry after years of pest infestation.
Kalinga sweet- orange used to banner fruit stands here, and in major cities until the early ‘80’s for its distinct juicy and sweet taste before the massive plant viral attach, according to agriculture authorities here. Previous bids to revive the industry did not show remarkable results.
For the current efforts, Provincial Agriculturist Domingo Bakilan disclosed his office has tied-up with the towns of Balbalan and Pasil, the sweet orange-producing areas in the province, to revive the industry.
OPAG has initially put-up a fruit nursery in Barangay Cagaluan, Pasil where mother sweet- orange trees are propagated from seedlings that were processed and germinated in Balbalan and Pasil.
To assure that these seedlings are pest-resistant, Bakilan explained these were propagated through the climatic conditions under the close monitoring and supervision of agriculture technicians.
Mother orange trees produced from the Cagaluan fruit nursery shall be distributed to fruit farmers who would be trained by OPAG on grafting and marcoting technology for shorter fruiting period, Bakilan said.
Reviving Kalinga’s sweet-orange industry in the municipalities of Balbalan and Pasil is seen as a lucrative source of income under OPAG’s high value crop program, Bakilan said. (JDP/LL-PIA CAR,Kalinga)
