BPSU Abucay conducts training on sweet tamarind and banana productions

To benefit the farmers and orchard enthusiasts from the economic gains and profitability of sweet tamarind and tissue-cultured derived planting materials of banana, the Research and Extension Services through its’ Vice-President Gregorio J. Rodis had tapped the experts from Pampanga Agricultural College to provide lecture on Production Technology of these two commodities.

The one day seminar conducted at the FTC of the Abucay Campus last April 17 was attended by 12 Agricultural technologists, two Municipal Agricultural Officers and 26 farmers from seven municipalities of the province. The Sweet Tamarind of Aglibut Variety which was originally developed by PAC researchers headed by Dr. Filomena K. Reyes is now the PAC’s banner commodity and was able to extensively disseminate the commodity through tight collaboration with SUC’s in the country. With this, the BPSU will then be responsible in providing seminar and technology services to individuals with interest on sweet tamarind production in the locality. Other possibilities aside from the promotion of the technology is the additional earnings to be generated from it through production of grafted seedlings in the BPSU nursery.
Meanwhile, the seminar was composed of the following topics; The Tamarind Industry and Growth Characteristics of Sweet Tamarind by Dr. Rogelio Cosio; Lay-outing, Transplanting and Intercropping of Sweet Tamarind, Irrigation, Fertilization, Pruning , Insects/Diseases Control, Harvesting Post Harvest Practices and Marketing of Sweet Tamarind by Dr. Filomena K. Reyes; Tissue Cultured Banana production Systems by Dr. Virgilio T. Bagunu; Insects and Diseases of Banana by Prof. Mary Grace Gatan; and Organic Agriculture Production System by Dr. Norman De Jesus.
With the overwhelming number of participants the PAC group through their Extension Director, Dr. Norman de Jesus gave each with two tamarind seedlings. The seedlings were awarded during the closing ceremony. Many of the farmers who attended the seminar manifested interest to integrate sweet tamarind with their plantation crops. The seminar ended with the awarding of certificates through the Associate Director of Extension Services, Campus Chancellor of Abucay Campus and Extension Director of PAC,Dr. Hermogenes M. Paguia, Mr. Rudy C. Flores and Dr. Norman De Jesus, respectively. (H.M.Paguia)