As a consequence of typhoon Glenda, coconut farmers will suffer from loss of income until next year or even up to 2016, an official of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Albay said.

Alvin Trespeces, PCA senior agriculturist, said the agency's records estimated the total loss in terms of farmers' income up to December stands at P300 million.

Trespeces said all farmers tending almost 99,000 hectares of coconut farms in the province have been affected and experienced great impact on their lives until 2015 to 2016.

"The price of copra was good before Glenda, that was why farmers' income increased, so as the estimated total damage could reach as high as P300 million. We have to wait for several years before we can recover -- that is, if we experience no devastating typhoon during this recovery period," he added.

PCA-Albay, in its initial report on July 30, said 1,728,030 coconut trees had been slightly damaged -- meaning the trees have disarranged and dropped leaves -- and these are expected to recover within three months.

A total of 3,009,161 trees have been moderately damaged -- with wasted or broken fronds, and fallen matured nuts. These trees may take about six months to recover and 10 percent of the harvest nuts for the year would be lost.

Heavily damaged trees reached up to 4,359,830; these trees have broken branches, twisted or broken fronds, and at least 50 percent of immature nuts have fallen. These trees may take about two to three years to recover in terms of production.

Glenda also left 66,269 coconut trees totally damaged and have no chance of recovery because of broken or cracked fronds and that 100 percent of the nut production will be lost permanently.

What are the remedies?

Trespeces said while farmers wait for several months for the re-germination and recovery of coconut trees, the PCA will offer remedies and interventions to support their alternative livelihood.

"Coconut trees should recover first through growing its leaves to bear fruits, so every after typhoon, we fertilize trees that were slightly and moderately damaged," he added.

The agency gives free coconut seedlings for replanting to replace totally damaged trees.

It also offers inter-cropping assistance, often called cash cropping, wherein farmers can cultivate fast-growing plants like camote, corn, and other root crops from which they can earn in a short span of time.

Meanwhile, Trespeces reminds the public of the limitations in cutting broken coconut trees.

"Since December 2013, we have a moratorium on cutting coconut trees so even if the trees have fallen, they will still have to apply for a permit," he stressed.

Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/