Degradation of Citrus farms in Sta. Maria, Laguna, Philippines.

Abstract

This study attempted to characterize the citrus farmers in Sta. Maria, Laguna; determine the citrus farmers' farming practices; describe the citrus farms in Sta. Maria, Laguna; These objectives were attained by conducting structured interview to the 30% of the total numbers of citrus farmers in the four barangays in Sta Maria, Laguna and by assessment of the biophysical condition of their citrus farms.

Majority of citrus farmers in Sta. Maria, Laguna were migrants from the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, Bulacan and Pangasinan and were in the citrus farming business for a long time. Citrus farming in the municipality started in early 1970's and remained a profitable business until 1987, when leaf mottling/greening or locally known as San Francisco disease devastated the citrus farms. Various causes of decline of citrus production were classified into natural calamities e.g. ash fall and typhoons; poor farming practices e.g. ariendo, excessive fertilizer application, use of poor plant stocking, non-replacement of old and diseased citrus trees, lack of pest and diseases management, monoculture cropping system; insufficient technical knowledge of farmers due to lack of formal training in citrus cultivation; poor soil condition e.g. acidic, low nitrogen and phosphorus content; and, conversion of citrus farms into rambutan and lansones due to the profitable state of these fruits and calamansi due to its resistance to leaf mottling/greening disease.

Generally, citrus farms in the municipality were in a state of degradation as indicated by the acidic condition and low nitrogen and phosphorus content of the soil. Poor soil condition can be improved by the following: removing and burning infected trees, liming to raise soil PH to optimum condition, green manuring and using organic fertilizer; in addition, planting of indicator citrus species to determine disease presence, employing better pests and disease management practices, improving cultural practices, planting superior quality planting materials as well as gradually replacing old and infected trees can bring back the good condition of the remaining citrus farms. Intervention from the municipal, provincial and national government through provision of disease-free budded planting materials and technical assistance would also help lessen the doubt of farmers to engage in citrus farming again.