Basilan’s rubber plant for poor farmers now functional
Local News • 16:45 PM Mon Mar 1, 2021
1
By:
John M. Unson
Samples of processed rubber produced by the new factory in Isabela City, Basilan. (From office of Gov. Jim Salliman)
BASILAN --- The new P50 million worth rubber processing plant of the provincial government is now functional, soon to process dried lumps from marginalized producers.
A big number of Muslim and Christian farmers in Basilan are into propagation of rubber trees but do not have access to processing plants thus forced to sell their hardened latex to merchants at so low prices.
In a statement Monday, the office of Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman said experts have done a series of test runs and have processed rubber lumps perfectly, according to standards set by merchants buying in bulk.
Salliman said the factory, located in Isabela City, will only charge minimal cost, just enough to augment expenditures for operation, from rubber producers.
Salliman has been, since 2016, helping maximize the productivity of farmers in Basilan through diversification to cushion the effects of the “cocolisap”pest infestation that ravaged coconut plantations in the province.
Farmers were forced to cut down thousands of coconut trees made unproductive by worms.
Salliman said he is certain diversification by affected farmers will help them bounce back from losses.
The office of Salliman and the National Irrigation Administration are also helping each irrigate vast swaths of farms in the province to boost rice and vegetable production.