Sunday 27 May 2012
Headlines
Did you find this story interesting? (0) (0)
23/04/2008 13:50:41
Silkworms give Philippine farming town a makeover
Hundreds of white mulberry trees have started to cover mountain slopes deep in the northern Philippines' Cordillera region, changing not just the landscape but also making over the image of a poor farming town.
Up until the early 2000s, the upland villages of Kapangan, a vegetable growing town of 18,000 people in Benguet province, was widely known as one of the country's largest cultivation areas of an illegal plant -- marijuana.
"We've started something to erase that tag," Roberto Canuto, a public attorney in the province who was elected mayor in 2007, told Reuters. "We're determined to be known as something else, perhaps, the silk capital of the country."
Canuto said some farmers have started growing mulberry trees, the main food of silk-producing worms from China and Japan, after sericulture was introduced in nine of Kapangan's 15 villages in late 2004.
"We're expanding the mulberry plantation to accommodate more farmers willing to go into silkworm operations," he said, adding many farmers got excited after initial trials produced about 25 kilos of rawsilk, sold at $50 per kilogram early this year.
Up until the early 2000s, the upland villages of Kapangan, a vegetable growing town of 18,000 people in Benguet province, was widely known as one of the country's largest cultivation areas of an illegal plant -- marijuana.
"We've started something to erase that tag," Roberto Canuto, a public attorney in the province who was elected mayor in 2007, told Reuters. "We're determined to be known as something else, perhaps, the silk capital of the country."
Canuto said some farmers have started growing mulberry trees, the main food of silk-producing worms from China and Japan, after sericulture was introduced in nine of Kapangan's 15 villages in late 2004.
"We're expanding the mulberry plantation to accommodate more farmers willing to go into silkworm operations," he said, adding many farmers got excited after initial trials produced about 25 kilos of rawsilk, sold at $50 per kilogram early this year.
No Comments
Nobody has posted any comments on this story.
|
Farming items for Sale
|
Claas 580 - Burwell
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
New Holland TSA100 - Omagh(GBP 25200)
Manitou 1235 - New Ollerton(GBP 21600)
John Deere - 7530 - Byfield
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
Zetor 5340 - Eastfield(GBP 8750)
Related News
Philippines-Government give assurances on safety of pork. - 27 Feb 2009PHILIPPINES-GOVERNMENT ASSURANCES ON PORK. Pork consumers in Western Visayas have nothing to fear with the reported ebola reston virus which w...
Town searching for farming advice - 09 Feb 2008The Blue Mountains is looking for people with farming experience to sit on an agricultural advisory committee. The committee would provide town st...
Three towns win grants to aid farm preservation - 28 Feb 2008The state Agriculture Department has awarded three $25,000 planning grants to the Towns of New Paltz, Marbletown and Shawangunk to help develop local ...
Town bans ownership of land, farming near water sources - 25 Mar 2008In support of World Water Day over the weekend, the town of Bauko passed a radical municipal ordinance forbidding the cultivation and ownership of lan...
Trobridge housing gets a makeover - 27 Jul 2010One of the UK’s most popular and long-lasting pig buildings — the Trobridge grower and finisher house — has been given an update. New materials...
Can organic farming save Philippine agriculture? - 10 Jan 2007The Philippines used to have a robust agricultural sector. About two-thirds of the population and three-fourths of the poor depend on agriculture. But...
Farming threatens three important Philippines rivers - 20 May 2008Three of the most important rivers in the Philippines are at risk from water depletion due to illegal conversion of their common watershed into cabbag...
Philippines-Saudi Arabia-invest in farming. - 25 Feb 2009Philippines - Saudi Arabia, a country considered as recession-proof due to its oil-based economy, will establish agricultural trade with the Philippin...
Philippines-Organic farming. - 14 Mar 2009PHILIPPINES-ORGANIC FARMING. ENTREPRENEURS and farmers should engage in the large-scale production of organic goods to be able to meet domesti...
Philippines-Fish Farming. - 19 Mar 2009PHILIPPINES - FISH FARMING. Aquaculture technologies such as polyculture, pangasius culture, mangrove aquaculture and 45-day delayed feeding techniqu...
