PDS President Chris Fadriga was with Manong Dolping, PDS interim Vice-President for Negros Occidental the other day.
He recounts that part of ‘nong Dolping’s 2000 plus cacao seedlings planted about 3 years ago have started to produce pods and will start to harvest a few pods soon.
Planting materials came from seeds of old cacao trees just around the Barrio of Patag.
“We would like to see some Fino Aromatico trees from them.” Mr. Fadriga confidently said.
He also started to do side grafting some for the heirloom cacao giving the white beans.
Rain or shine, the Filipino Heirloom Cacao search continues.
The members of Plantacion de Sikwate Cacao Producers Association, Inc. led by its Chairmain of the Board Cyrus Obsuna (3rd from right), national president, and Christopher Fadriga (3rd from left), paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr. (center) at the Capitol. In photo are Antonio Grafilo, Kenny Ang, Nelia Grafilo, PEMO Head, Atty. Wilmon Peñalosa, Boyet Uychiat, and Merceditas Montilla. /Capitol photo by Richard Malihan