Tacloban City- Abaca products exporter Specialty Pulp Manufacturing Inc. (SPMI) based in Baybay, Leyte recently procured P250,000 worth of abaca plantlets from the tissue culture laboratory of the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA).

Jeffrey Espeña, FIDA regional director, said the tissue culture laboratory located in Brgy. Balinsasayao in Abuyog, Leyte would produce 16, 667 disease-free abaca plantlets to meet the demands of SPMI. These would be delivered to SPMI on a staggered basis in the next few months.

Mr. España added that SPMI bought the said planting materials because they want to plant abaca to supply their own production demand.

High quality abaca fiber in the region now sells at P50 per kilo, Mr. España said.

The FIDA laboratory, which is called Eastern Visayas Regional Fiber Experiment Station, produces “hardened” plantlets that have been cultured for about two to three months.

The abaca industry is being plagued with viral diseases such as abaca mosaic and bunchy top.

Mr. España said remedial measures are now being undertaken such as the establishment of the Abaca Disease Management and Rehabilitation Team (ADMART) and the activation of several abaca tissue culture laboratories that are expected to produce disease-free abaca plantlets.