Because of the climate change that the whole world is experiencing, lanzones and rambutan harvest in the country is now becoming affected.
Ireneo Ortega, one of the magsasaka sayanista (scientist farmer) a program under a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program, said that for the first time since he engaged in orchard farming more than a decade ago, a big slump in fruit harvest from his lanzones and rambutan trees was noted this year compared with his past harvests. He blamed the effect of climate change as the culprit.
Ortega added that the erratic rainfalls in the months of January and February could have prevented the trees from consuming enough nitrogen during the flowering stage. This may have caused my fruit-bearing trees to have a big drop in fruit harvest. The peak harvest season for rambutan and lanzones is from September to October.
Meanwhile, Mayor Evelyn Paulino of Doña Remedios Trinidad town in Bulacan told the Business Mirror in a telephone interview that rambutan farmers in their town have also noted a noticeable cut in their crop’s produce compared with the past years.
Paulino said her municipal government is set to inquire with the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (Pcarrd) under the DOST regarding the problems of the rambutan farmers in her hometown.
More and more industry will still be affected of this climate change if pollution will not be eradicated by the people. [via businessmirror.com.ph]