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PDS-Brownseeds Pte. Ltd. Cacao Funding Program Update: Negros Occidental
With my team’s help, there will be enough sunshine to help us through until harvest. Thank you for entrusting the care for our golden babies. – Chris Fadriga
Here at my farm and nursery in Atipuluan, Bago City, Negros Occidental, I am the “caretaker” of about 25,000 seedlings that will be the rootstock for this year’s planting season.
We will be grafting W10 scions for the funding program.
The PDS Criollo Search Continues
Watch the video to find out about what transpired with our
Is it what we were looking for? Watch this video to find out. (2:36 secs.)
Thank you to our Cacao Icons and the rest of the Search for the Criollo Filipino Aromatico team for the support. #cacao #cacaofarming #criollo #thebitterthebetter #happyhormones #organic #organicfarming #proudlyLUZON #proudlyPinoy
Music Credit: e-soundtrax
Small Farmers: We Need YOU!
INDEED! INDEED! That’s the key: SMALL FARMERS!
They are the little guys that spend minimal, but with the RIGHT and CORRECT Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) will be the sustainable force to uplift and improve the production of good-quality cacao products equal to other cacao-producing countries (African, South American and neighboring Indonesia, Papua New Guinea & Vietnam.)
The countries happen to be the new-players with big accreditation due to its consistent cacao beans quality implementing strict GAP!
Locally, family-based cacao farming, low-cost yet sustainable in clusters and organized collection of post-harvest processing centers to produce good quality dry beans / FDCBs for both local and export market is the challenge to all of us.
Think about it.
To read the entire 2011 article in Mindanews click HERE.
The Good, The Pod and the Borer
Cocoa Pod Borer, “the” ultimate pest directly affecting cacao yield.
Were your cacao farms being planted with the correct cacao CPB-tolerant variety with good high yield? Or ever ask why other farmers’ cacao-trees seem to be non-stop producing yet not damaged by pest & disease (CPB, helopeltis, fungus, etc) yet mine seems to flower only during the season but flowering and fruiting take a “break” or even totally “no pods seen” on the trees?
Hmmmm…. did we start our farms with the basics of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), or did we go the adventurous (yet could be “mahal” / hefty price) ways and live years with the type of cacao variety (for the next 20-25years) to prove its worth….. decisions, decisions, decisions…
Heirloom Cacao Grafted Mother Plants 1/23/17
The less than one year old heirloom cacao grafted mother plants already started to practice producing cherrels. <Wait… cherrels? Mr. Cacao, please enlighten us…>
cherrels are immature pods of 10cm length
These mother plants are under the care of Balrly Valenzuela and his team. As part of the PDS team, we also train them to become plant propagators. Personally, I am glad to see high survival in their first try in grafting. It is now a question of developing their speed thru experience. ?
From the bottom of my cup of sikwate, good job Team PDS Atipuluan! – Chris
Board Meeting: 1/22/17 (Cebu)
The PDS Board Members gathered at the BIG Hotel in Cebu City.
It was a business meeting to update achievements from the funding program with Brownseeds Pte. Ltd. as well as plotting of schedules for the PDS Cacao Techno-Forums.
For office-related updates, Membership status were discussed as well as the upcoming General Assembly of all BOD and National officers.
The date will coincide with the 3rd year founding anniversary of the cacao producers association.
Fermented Cacao Beans: Progression & Appearance
What happens to the cacao wet beans during fermentation?
USM Develops New Cacao Clones
BAL209: Studies on Commercial Cacao Plantation with improved Yield and Clonal Varieties
From the Planter’s Yesteryear’s Files FYI:
Research & studies of commercial cacao plantation on improving yield and upgrading clonal varieties with presentations to professional planters for scrutiny and most importantly field verification based on years of actual field trials results… BAL209 is one of the results of this trials results which give benefit to all cacao growers. ** Pardon the font guys, see we can’t do much with the typewriter’s those years way back (yep, way, way, way back that is)