DAVAO CITY- A prominent cacao grower in Davao City admitted that climate change is affecting the production of cacao.
Charita Puentespina, founder of Puentespina Farms which grows and harvests heirloom cacaos which is the source of the multi-awarded Malagos Chocolates said climate change has altered the harvest seasons of their cacao.
“Nala-late yung supposedly meron tayong peak season from November, December January before that we have the low season from May to June parang Nawala then ngayon parang sabay marami masyadong harvests, marami masyadong bulaklak (It arrived late this supposedly we have a peak season from November, December January then before that we have the low season from May to June it seemed gone, Now we have so much harvests, so many flowers).
Puentespina said their farm program has drastically changed. “The program of putting fertilizer, the program of pruning, the scheduling it’s no longer the same,” the famed Dabawenya cacao grower and chocolatier said.
Aside from changing seasons, the effect of climate change can be seen in heavy rains during the flowering season.
“It matters because the flowers of the cacao are very tiny and if the rains are very heavy the effect is not good,” Puentespina said.
Climate Change and its impact on cacao production will be discussed during the National Cacao Congress which will be held on Nov. 24-25 at SMX Convention Center Davao.
Puentespina who is also a member of the Philippine Cacao Industry Association said during the congress they will be launching a guide on growing cacao and taking care of cacao trees.
Dante Muyco Jr., chairperson of the National Cacao Congress Technical Working Group said among the speakers during the congress will be Bruce Pears coming from West Australia where they have been doing successful programs on regenerative agriculture.
“He (Bruce Pears) will be providing us information on plant nutrition and bringing back the nutrition to the soil. I think that is one of the measures we can really address all these problems in production including climate change,” Muyco said. (PIA/RG Alama)
