by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

Cagayan de Oro City (11 October) -- On-going programs that develop and shore up government efficiency and complement the present economic gains of the country have already been put in place.

"This, as the combined production of Northern Mindanao's major crops totaled 2,127,018.91 MT in volume during the first quarter, this year, higher by 3.92% compared to 2,046,742.02 MT in the same period of 2005," Regional Director Joel Rudinas of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit-10 (RFU-10) said.

Of these major crops, root crops posted the highest increase of 45.22%, from 45,393.10 MT to 65,919.89 MT, followed by fruit crops with 13.01%, from 349,668.35 MT to 395,160.39 MT.

Moreover, industrial crops which included non-food and other commercial crops, posted a 0.92% increase in volume, from 11,637,321.87 MT to 1,652,454.88 MT and vegetables, a negative 6.09%, from 14,358.70 MT to 13,483.75 MT.

Similarly, among the root crops, cassava posted the highest increase of 49.33%, followed by camote, 26.14%, ginger, 21.41% and peanuts, 4.66% while among the fruit crops, mandarin posted the highest increase of 50.08%, followed by banana, 33.34%, papaya, 12.90%, calamansi, 4.45% and pineapple, 0.20%.

"The positive performance of the root crops was due to the increase in area planted/invested as farmers were encouraged to plant more due to high market demand, good market price and sufficient rainfall during the period, " Rudinas said.

However, the following fruits registered negative performances during the period: lanzones, -63.15%, mangosteen, -45.71%, rambutan, -24.05%, mango, -16.97%, durian, -10.39% and water melon, -0.59%.

Industrial crops also posted a slim increase of 0.92% with palm oil registering a remarkable 853.19%, followed by cacao, 25.80%, coffee, 8.21%, rubber, 6.23%, abaca, 3.11% and sugarcane, 0.87% and cashew, a negative 33.26%.

He also said the significant growth in palm oil production was due to increase in the number of bearing trees of about 130 hectares planted that were now on productive ages which in turn gave a representative high demand for industrial use.

On the other hand, vegetables posted a negative 6.09% performance during the period, as production of the following declined: tomato, -14.23%, habichuelas, -6.02%, Irish potato, -8.80% and carrots, -3.58%. Cauliflower, however, posted a remarkable 882.55% increase.

The negative production of vegetables were mostly reduced as a result of the occurrence of diseases, such as leaf curl disease in tomatoes and wilting diseases in Irish potato and carrots, as well as, financial constraints for the farm inputs.