Thursday, March 13, 2014

Marketing Plan of Calamansi

-OUTLINE-
I. Calamansi Production
a. Technical Description
b. Utilization
            c. Farm Practices
d. Specifications
e. Seasonality
II. Varieties
III. Growing Calamondin or Calamansi: Crop Info
and Cultural Practices
IV.How-to Guide/Cultural Practices
a. Soil and Climatic Adaptation
b. Plant Propagation
c. Plot Selection and Planting
d. Planting Distance
e. Fertilization
            f. Pruning
g. Floral Induction
h. Pests and Diseases Control
i. harvesting
V.USDA-ARS, Others, Generated Data
To Combat Citrus Greening (Update about Citrus Greening)
VI. Calamansi Price Update as of September 2013
VII. TayNanding… The Man (Successful Calamansi Farm Owner)
VIII. Prospect & Investment
a. Postharvest Practices
b. SWOT Analysis
c. Major Export Markets
IX. Calamansi Average Production Cost and Returns
Particular 2009

X. References
I.                    Calamansi Production
a.      Technical Description
Calamansi or calamondin (Citrofortunellamicrocarpa) belongs to the citrus family. It is a fruit tree native in the Philippines. The tree is low set, spreading and well branched. The leaves are broad and oval and dark green to pale green on the upper and lower surfaces, respectively. The fruit is usually small and round, ranging from 3.0 to 3.0 inches in diameter. The rind may be thin or thick.

b.      Utilization
Calamansi is a rich source of vitamin C. its juice is used as a flavoring ingredient or as an additive in various food preparations. The pulp can be utilized in beverages, syrups, concentrates, and purees; whereas, the peel can be need in making jams, candies and marmalade. With its alkalinizing effect calamansi helps blood circulate energy and facilitates normal digestion.

c.       Farm Practices
Small-scale farmers of Western Visayas allot an average of 0.5ha to calamansi production. Big growers devote as much as 13 hectares. Roughly 900 to 1,000 trees can be planted in a hectare of land. Calamansi is propagated either sexually (through seeds) or asexually (through its vegetable parts). Grafting and marketing are among asexual method of propagation. Calamansi transplanting usually occurs at the onset of rainy season. After transplanting, fertilizer application is maintained. Pests are controlled through pesticide spraying. Guimaras is a major calamansi producer in Region 6. Wholesalers from Panay Island procure directly from the barangays of Guimaras based on arrangements. In some cases, the buyers bring their own harvesters or hire local workers.

d.      Specifications
For wholesale buying calamansi is green, fresh, thin-skinned and juicy. During the peak supply months, farmers sell calamansi in assorted sizes. During lean months, calamansi are classifies by size for better financial returns. The unit of measurement is kilogram. Calamansi is usually packed in sacks or in kaings of 25 kg net weight.
For retail selling, calamansi is classifies according to size: small medium large and rejects. Medium-sized calamansi is prevalent in the markets, particularly in the peak season. It is retailed by kilogram or by pile or tumpok  depending on the buyer’s preference. The minimum transaction volume is one kilogram or 1 pile.

e.      Seasonality
Calamansi is abundant throughout the year except during rainy season. Calamansi sizes depend on the season. Calamansi is usually big when the supply is high. However, during the months of summer, it’s usually small.
I.                    Varieties
Citrangequat
The citrangequat is a trigeneric citrus hybrid of a citrange and a kumquat, developed by Dr. Walter Swingle at Eustis, Florida, in 1909. Citrangequats are bitter in taste, but are considerededible by some at the peak of their maturity.

Limequat
It is a small tree that grows into a contained bushy form. The leaves are characteristically citrus-like. The limequat produces an abundance of fruit even at a young age. The fruit is small, oval, greenish yellow and contains seeds or pips. It has a sweet tasting skin and a bitter sweet pulp that tastes similar to limes. The fruit can be eaten whole or the juice and rind can be used to flavor drinks and dishes. It has considerable amounts of vitamin C and is strongly acidic.
This plant is now grown in Japan, Israel, Spain, Malaysia, South Africa, Armenia, the United Kingdom and the United States in California, Florida, and Texas. The fruit can be found, in small quantities, during the fall and winter months in the United States,India and Japan.


Sunquat
A sunquat, also known as lemonquat or lemondrop, is a variety of citrus fruit, having an edible rind. It was initially created by Leslie Cude in Beeville, Texas, as a chance hybrid between alemon (likely a 'Meyer') and a kumquat. The fruit is often sliced thin, having a somewhat tart flavor.

Yuzuquat 
A yuzuquat is a trigeneric hybrid between a Yuzu lemon and 'Nagami' kumquat, developed by Dr. John Brown in Texas. The fruit often is used as a lemon substitute and is very seedy.

Luz Calamansi (seedless calamansi [2009])
There’s a new calamansi which offers excellent money-making possibilities not just for big-time planters in the countryside but even for urban dwellers with limited space in their backyards.
This is the Luz calamansi, named after former First Lady Luz Banzon Magsaysay, mother of Sen. Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. A project is being funded by the office of Sen. Magsaysay to search for agricultural crops with export potential so these could be produced commercially. And the new calamansi has been chosen as the first crop for mass multiplication under the project which is being implemented by the Mama Sita Foundation in cooperation with the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development, and the Philippine Agricultural Resources Research Foundation.
The new calamansi which was introduced some two years ago (but which has not been released to the public) has a number of desirable characteristics that make it a potential money-maker not just for export but for the local market as well. It is much juicier than the ordinary calamansi. Each fruit usually has two seeds while the ordinary variety may have as many as 10 or more seeds. Given sufficient fertilizer, irrigation and the right management, the fruits may be bigger than the ordinary kind. When ripe, the fruits also have an attractive golden yellow color.
The fact that it is very juicy, it is a good material for juice production. Calamansi juice is increasingly becoming popular not only in the export market but also locally. When grown in a plantation and given the right management, the variety could be highly productive. The plants that are being grown in large containers at the garden of Dr. Benito S. Vergara in Los Banos are very fruitful. It is safe to say that the trees could be much more productive when grown in the ground.
The main objective of the project funded by Sen. Magsaysay is for the identified varieties to be mass-propagated as fast as possible for commercial production. The Luz calamansi was formally released during the recent garden show in Los Banos. Since the available mother plants are still limited, the preferred buyers are those who are interested in multiplying the same. Small rooted cuttings are priced at P100 each. Bigger ones which are starting to bear fruit are being sold at P350 each while heavily fruiting mother plants grown in rubberized containers are priced at P5,000 each.
The fruiting mother plants may look expensive at first glance, but they could be more advantageous for the propagator to buy. After all, the plants have plenty of branches from which a lot of materials could be obtained for budding or grafting. The branches could also be multiplied by marcotting. Although marcotting will prove to be a slower means of propagation, the advantage is that the marcots are bigger arid could be the new Source of scions within a short time. The initial cost of a fruiting mother plant (P5,000) could be recovered within a short time.
,We are very sure that from now on, he who can produce planting materials the fastest will make a lot of money. This is because a lot of growers are surely interested to plant an outstanding variety such as the Luz calamansi. At the start, the propagator could sell his planting materials at a high price, say P150 per grafted plant about a foot tall and starting to bear flowers.
What’s good about calamansi is that it can be grown in practically every place in the country. Hence, there is an unlimited market for planting materials.
Another money-making possibility is the production of fruiting trees in containers. Such plants could be saleable to families in the urban areas who would like to have a ready source of calamansi fruits for their own home use. Other possible buyers of fruiting potted calamansi are the Chinese families during the Chinese New Year. The grower will only have to see to it that the potted calamansi trees would have a lot of ripe fruits in the months of January to February. The good thing is that calamansi can be induced to bear fruit at the desired time.
To produce potted calamansi with golden ripe fruits during the Chinese New Year, the grower will just have to induce the plants to flower in June. This can be done by stressing the trees by withholding water for a month before the desired flowering date. After that, the plants will have to be watered adequately. In due time the flowers will emerge.
Yes, here is one more opportunity for the enterprising plant propagator to make good money.

I.                    Growing Calamondin or Calamansi: Crop Info
and Cultural Practices
The calamondin tree ( x Citrofortunellamicrocarpa, syn. Citrus microcarpa, Citrus mitis and xCitrofortunellamitis), is also known as China orange and golden lime; calamansi, kalamansi, kalamonding and limonsito in the Philippines; jerukperes, jerukkasturi, and jerukpotong in Indonesia; limaukesturi and limauchuit in Malaysia; and sommapit, somchit and manao-wan in Thailand.

This fruit crop probably originated in China as a result of natural crossing between mandarin and kumquat. It is now widely grown in India and all over South and Southeast Asia, and almost everywhere. In some countries, it is a popular house plant.
This plant is a shrub or small tree with a long taproot, 2-7.5 m tall. Trees grown from seed start fruit production 5-6 years after planting, but this is shortened to 3 years or less by planting asexually propagated seedlings.

Flowering and fruiting is year round, with a peak harvest season lasting for 3 months which falls during the months of August to October in the Philippines.
The calamondin fruit is well known for its acid juice which is used as a flavoring for dishes comprising seafood and meat. Commercially, this sour-tasting juice is processed into concentrate, drinks, and various products.

Fruits are round, greenish-yellow with a diameter of about 2-4.5 cm, and reaches full maturity in about 5 months after flowering. Like other citrus species such as pummelo and mandarin, the calamondinfruit is rich in phosphorus, calcium, iron and vitamin C.
A 3-year old calamondin tree may yield 0.75 kg of fruits. A 6-year old tree may bear up to 5000 fruits with an average yield of 10 kg; a 10-year old, 50 kg.


II.                  How-to Guide / Cultural Practices

a.      Soil and Climatic Adaptation
Calamondin or kalamansi is adapted to warm climates but it can also grow in cool, frost-free areas. It can grow in any soil type but prefers a well-drained, sandy or clay loam soil rich in organic matter, pH 5.5-7.0, in locations with annual rainfall of 1500-2000 mm. It has moderate tolerance to drought and shade but cannot tolerate excessive moisture and strong winds.

b.      Plant Propagation
Calamondin can be propagated by seed or by asexual method. Seedlings raised from seed are true-to-type and spiny. Clonal seedlings can also be propagated by stem cutting, air layering or marcotting, budding and grafting. For large scale production, shield and chip budding, cleft or wedge grafting, and rooting of stem cuttings under continuous mist or in non-mist propagation chamber have been practiced.

For growing in the backyard or in containers (pots), air layering or marcotting is recommended. Marcottedcalamondin trees are spineless with small stature, and readilly bear fruits. (Click to read the procedures in marcotting)


c.       Pot Selection and Planting
Seedlings should be planted at the onset of the rainy season in places where there is a pronounced dry and rainy season. But in places where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, where there is irrigation, or in backyard and pot gardening, planting can be done anytime.

For field planting, the seedlings are carefully laid on holes dug at least 40 cm wide and deep. The removed topsoil is replaced, preferably mixed with compost. Watering should be done daily.

For pot planting, any container can be used depending on preference based on such considerations as durability, aesthetics, cost, and final size of the tree. Pots with top diameter in excess of 8 inches (20.3 cm) are generally recommended for shrubs. Potting can be started with small pots and progressively changed to bigger ones as the plant becomes bigger. The potting medium should be fertile, rich in organic matter and loose, which can be obtained by mixing topsoil, sand and compost (click to read Growing Dwarf Potted Bamboo).

If grown as a houseplant, sufficient light should be provided.



d.      Planting Distance
The planting distance for growing calamondin in the orchard under monoculture ranges from 4-6 m in square, rectangular or triangular system. This is equivalent to a calculated population density of about 278-719 trees per hectare, depending on plant-to-plant distance and the planting system to be adopted. With 5 m x 5 m spacing in square system, the population density per hectare will be 400.
For potted plants, the pot-to-pot distance is dictated only by the size of the plant canopy which should not be allowed to overlap in order to maximize light penetration.

e.      Fertilization
Nitrogenous fertilizers like urea should be applied at the rate of 50-100 g per tree starting 1 month after planting and every other 6 months. This rate is increased to 200-300 g per tree in the second year. When the tree starts bearing fruits commercially, 350-400 g of complete fertilizer is applied, the rate increased correspondingly as the tree becomes bigger.
The fertilizers can be distributed into 6-8 holes around the tree and timed with the onset and end of the rainy season or just before the start of flowering. The incorporation of organic fertilizers in the fertilization plan will also benefit the plant by providing micronutrients.
With potted calamondin, it is better to apply slow-release fertilizers. Likewise, the use of 1-2 percent solution of a mixture of nitrogen and complete fertilizer may be an alternative, to be applied regularly as a soil drench.

f.        Pruning
Pruning should be employed to remove excess, diseased and dead branches. To maximize light penetration, 3-5 lateral branches in spiral arrangement are allowed to develop starting from about 1 ft (30 cm) from the base of the trunk. Pruning may be done also to limit expansion of the tree canopy.
To enhance the increase in the size of the tree that will be capable of producing more fruits, fruit development in the early years may be deferred. This involves flower and fruit pruning or the deliberate removal of flowers and fruitlets to allow the concentration of food into the developing vegetative parts.



g.      Floral Induction
Calamondin trees can be forced to flush and flower by heavy watering. This can be done 1-2 months prior to the normal flowering time. However, plant response is usually more elicited when the trees have been stressed by dry months prior to floral induction.
Plant physiologist Nasir Malik of Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Center, Weslaco, Texas, has also developed a temperature-controlled growth chamber which was effective in inducing grapefruit trees to produce new flushes. Trees that were placed in the growth chambers for 10 weeks flowered almost immediately when transferred to the greenhouse.

h.      Pests and Diseases Control
Numerous insect pests attack the calamondin tree. These include the citrus bark borers, aphids, and scales. Red mites which are arachnids may also become serious pests. In orchards, regular monitoring for pest incidence and spraying of insectides or miticides should be a part of the management program, especially during flushing period.
A serious disease is leaf mottling which is internationally known as citrus greening, transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorinacitri). The psyllids live and reproduce on new shoots and need to be eradicated in order to prevent citrus greening. Likewise, quarantine measures should be effected to prevent the introduction of diseased or psyllid-infested citrus plants, as well as the popular ornamental plant orange jessamine or kamuning (Murrayapaniculata), being a favored host of the psyllid.
Other common diseases are gummosis, citrus canker and citrus scab. Gummosis is caused byPhytophthora fungi and usually occurs where there is mechanical damage to the stem or where there is either lack or excess fertilizer. The disease is characterized by a dark sticky exudate or gum which oozes out of the infected part of the branch or trunk. Prompt spraying or painting of fungicide solution should be done directly to the diseased area.
i.        Harvesting
Mature fruits are harvested either by hand or by clipping with a pair of scissors. To prolong shelf life, a portion of the pedicel is left attached to the fruit and injury to the skin should be avoided. Storage at 8-10 C with relative humidity of 90% will further extend the freshness of the fruits up to 3 weeks.



III.                USDA-ARS, Others, Generated Data 
to Combat Citrus Greening (Update about Citrus Greening)

The citrus greening disease, also known as “Huanglongbing” or HLB, is presently considered as the most serious disease affecting the U.S. citrus industry. In 2005, it devastated the citrus industry of Florida, causing damage and lost revenue amounting to millions of dollars.
Diseased plants produce fruits which turn green after ripening. It is believed that the causal organism is the bacterium CandidatusLiberibacterasiaticus.
The Asian citrus psyllid, carrier of the citrus greening disease (image courtesy of USDA-ARS).
A few years back, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) which transmits the disease has been found in Texas and California. Texas is the third largest producer of citrus fruits in the United States, mostly in the Rio Grande Valley. The Valley produces grapefruit as its top citrus crop, with some orange, tangerine, tangelo, and Meyer lemon.
Responding to request for assistance by the Texas growers who fear a possible outbreak, scientists of the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) at the Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Center (SARC) in Weslaco, Texas, have embarked into accelerated research initiatives.
These scientists are now working in cooperation with federal and university personnel to develop a holistic strategy that can be applied to control infection and spread of the disease. The participation of neighboring countries like Mexico and other international partners is likewise deemed important because citrus is grown worldwide and thus the citrus greening disease is of worlwide concern.
Despite the short time, the following research outputs have been generated in the race for solutions to control citrus greening:
1. Entomologist Donald Thomas of the Crop Quality and Fruit Insects Research Unit (CQFIRU), leader of the area-wide project, found that increase in psyllid population occurs with new growth, called "flush," which is favored by heavy rainfall and warm temperature. Psyllids rely on flushing shoots for their reproduction and development.
2. Working with Mexican and U.S. federal cooperators, Thomas identified a tiny wasp named Tamarixiaradiata as a potential biological control agent. Other possibles are lacewings, beetles, spiders, and predatory mites.
3. In a related project, molecular biologist Jesse de Leon, with the Beneficial Insects Research Unit (BIRU), and colleagues from North and South America found two groups of Asian citrus psyllid, one prevalent in South America and the other in North America. Through molecular testing, these two groups were found to be genetically distinct. This suggests that each continent was invaded by psyllids from different Asian countries. This finding further suggests that natural enemies of psyllids may have to be collected from different Asian countries.
4. Research is going on to find a material that will mimic the flushing shoots that attract the Asian citrus psyllid which uses sight and scent to find food. This will be necessary for baiting and trapping. Comparative studies conducted by Joseph Patt, also with the BIRU, under greenhouse conditions revealed that more psyllids are attracted to cards colored yelowish-green scented with petitgrain oils than did unscented cards. Petitgrain oils are essential oils from orange jessamine, an ornamental plant that is related to citrus, that are used as perfume bases.
5. A key to accelerated research to better understand the psyllid’s interaction with citrus plants is the forced flushing of the shoots so that year-round testing can be conducted. This is important in order to find prompt solutions to prevent a citrus greening outbreak. To this end, plant physiologist Nasir Malik succeeded in developing temperature-controlled growth chambers.
Grapefruit trees were placed in the growth chambers at temperatures of 4-8 C at night time and 18 C during the day for 2 weeks. When the trees were transferred to the greenhouse where temperatures are warmer (26 C at night and 29 C during the day), they produced some flushes. Longer treatments induced more flushing. Trees that were placed in the growth chambers for 10 weeks flowered almost immediately when transferred to the greenhouse.
Malik also succeeded in inducing the production of new flushes in other trees including guava, pomegranate, and chapote (Casimiroagreggii).
6. Graduate student Deanna Chapa and cooperators from university, private industry, and government sectors compiled an online database of approved pesticides for the control of psyllid. This is a convenient reference for citrus growers who are searching for effective pesticides that can be used to control the psyllids.
With the help of the ARS scientists, there will be no citrus greening outbreak, either in Rio Grande Valley or elsewhere in the U.S. The research outputs will likewise find application in other places worldwide where citrus is grown. For now, the disease can be prevented by timely control of the Asian citrus psyllid.
(Ben G. Bareja, December 2010)









IV.                TayNanding’s  Success Story
SagradaFamilia – a distant barangay of Dumarao, Capiz, about an hour drive from the heart of the municipality. In  this hidden barrio lives 55-year old Fernando Tingson with his wife Evelyn Gentebano-Tingson, and the couple’s only child Fet, a 23 year old Nautical Engineering graduate from John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation in Iloilo City.

Spouses Fernando and Evelyn are both natives of Leganes, Iloilo, but by reason of choice, they decided to settle and raise their small family in Barangay SagradaFamilia. Here, farming became the couple’s way of life. They used to lease a two-hectare rice land from which they generate an average income of  Php20,000.00 per cropping. In 1994, the family acquired a 1.68 hectare land through a group CLOA from the landholdings of Ramon Benjamin Jr. on which they maintained a self-financed plantation of sugarcane, citrus and calamansi.

Mr. Tingson is a hands-on farmer. Though he can afford to hire workers on his farm, one would never see him standing and giving orders to his workers, rather, he himself would do the dirty job as well because he believes that a farmer would never be able to appreciate fully the fruits of his farm unless he himself works under the heat of the sun.

In the year 2003, TayNanding was able to generate an annual income of  Php300,000.00 from citrus, Php72,000.00 from calamansi and Php60,000.00 from three croppings of rice. According to him finding market for his produced was never a problem because his buyers from the nearby municipalities would just go to his farm to buy his products.

Seeing the plantation’s capability to yield a much higher income if subjected to modern technology, under the Agribusiness Program of the Department of Land Reform, Mr. Tingson availed of the benefits of the Technology Transfer project. Through ARCP’s intervention, he was encouraged to expand his citrus plantation. He was then given the opportunity to attend various trainings which provided him with even better skills he could apply to citrus and calamansi production. Among the trainings he attended are i. Training on Sustainable Agriculture, Diversified and Organic Farming Systems conducted by the Center for Agrarian Reform and Development in 2001; ii. Farm Planning and Budgetting Seminar; iii.Training on the Application of Farming Systems Development (FSD) Approach (Phase III) in Selected ARCs and iv. Farmer Paratechnicians Training on General Sustainable Agriculture and Extension System Development which was held in Cebu City in 1998. He also had the chance to participate in other trainings such as Rural Infrastructure Technicians Skills Training; and the Seminar on Resource Mobilization and Accessing for ARC Organization.

Of course, whatever new knowledge he has acquired from those trainings have been very useful not only for TayNanding but also for his friends with whom he shared such knowledge.

This successful farmer also believes that as a leader, he should exhibit a good example to others, that’s why he made it a point to keep a good record in the payment of his land amortization with the Land Bank of the Philippines-Passi Branch for 11 years now. As a matter of fact, with the good income from his farm, TayNanding is planning to pay his land amortization in full sooner than scheduled.

With the six-digit annual family income, and with their only child having graduated from college, the couple is able to finance 100% of their farm and even maintain a good sum in a bank

TayNanding, by nature is a simple, friendly, helpful, humble and approachable person. With all these qualities, plus the man’s inherent ability to lead, he was elected and reelected for several times as one of SagradaFamilia’s Barangay Kagawad. He served as such for more than 20 years from 1980 until 2002. He is also a past Chairman of the SagradaFamilia Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi Purpose Cooperative for a term of three years, at present, he is a regular and active member of the same.

TayNanding also served as Chairman of the SagradaFamilia Barangay Agrarian Reform Council (BARC) for two consecutive terms (1996-1999 and 1999-2002). After his second term, he never stopped assisting the newly elected BARC Chairman and its other officers. To date, Mr. Tingson is the Vice Chairman of the Citrus Growers Association and a member of the Hog Growers Association in SagradaFamilia.

Having nothing to worry about, Mr. Tingson dreams of going back to politics. He plans to run for Barangay Captain of SagradaFamilia in the next Barangay Election so he could have a better chance of helping the barrio folks. Though not born in SagradaFamilia, he still considers himself a native of the barangay and wishes to share his blessings with his “kasimaryos” as his own way of thanksgiving

V.                  PROSPECT & INVESTMENT
·        Market demand of Calamansi either fresh fruits or processed is very
high.
·        There is a growing market demand for processed calamansi in the
domestic
market in the form of pasteurized juice, jellies, puree, etc.
·        Adoption of appropriate technology is relatively high in the province.
·        Approximately about P36,000.00 is required for the establishment of a
hectare of calamansi orchard and maintenance cost until the bearing
age of
3.5-4.0 year. about 35% of the costs is attributed to labor and 30% for
fertilizers, budded seedlings, pesticides and 35% is spent for
acquisition of
fixed assets.
·        Budded seedlings commence fruiting on the third year with an
approximate yield of 7 kilos of fruits per tree and increasing
onwards as
the tree ages. Maximum production performance per tree occurs
from 9
to 15 years of age. Estimated return on investment per hectare is
72­­­­­­%.


VI.                Calamansi Average Production Cost and Returns

CASH COSTS 33,556.00
Seeds/Planting Materials……………………………………………………………………………………………………...0.00
Fertilizer……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…0.00
Fertilizer Organic……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….367.00
Fertilizer Inorganic………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4,977.00
Folliar………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..202.00
Folliar Solid …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Folliar Liquid………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….0.00
Soil Ameliorants ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………0.00
Soil Ameliorants Solid …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Pesticides.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………930.00
Pesticides Solid……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………29.00
Pesticides Liquid……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….901.00
Other Material Inputs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………0.00
Other Material Inputs Solid…………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Other Material Inputs Liquid…………………………………………………………………………………………………0.00
Hired Labor…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22,740.00
Wages for Overseer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..484.00
Land Tax……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………410.00
Rentals:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………0.00
Land……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………68.00
Animals………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...0.00
Machine………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Machine, Tools and Equipment…………………………………………………………………………………………..38.00
Water/Electric Bills……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….0.00
Fuel and Oil……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….450.00
Transport of Inputs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………486.00
Irrigation Fee………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14.00
Interest Payment on Crop Loan…………………………………………………………………………………………..28.00
Food Expenses……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1,067.00
Repairs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1,295.00
Landlord's Share …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Electric Bill…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….0.00
Others…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
NON-CASH COSTS……………………………………………………………………………………………………….1,270.00
Seeds Paid in Kind…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………0.00
Hired Labor Paid in Kind………………………………………………………………………………………………………69.00
Wages for Overseer Paid in Kind……………………………………………………………………………………….236.00
Rentals Machine and Vehicle………………………………………………………………………………………………..0.00
Landlord's Share Paid in Kind…………………………………………………………………………………………….118.00
Harvester's Share………………………………………………………………………………………………………………502.00
Lease Rental………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………345.00
IMPUTED COSTS……………………………………………………………………………………………………….17,625.00
Operator and Family Labor…………………………………………………………………………………………….4,707.00
Exchange Labor…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10.00
Depreciation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1,507.00
Interest on Operating Capital…………………………………………………………………………………………4,675.00
Rental Value of Owned Land………………………………………………………………………………………….6,726.00
ALL COST……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………52,451.00
GROSS RETURN………………………………………………………………………………………………………187,292.00
RETURNS ABOVE CASH COSTS…………………………………..……………………………………………153,736.00
RETURNS ABOVE CASH & NON-CASH COSTS………………..…………………………………………152,466.00
NET RETURNS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………134,841.00
NET PROFIT- COST RATIO……………………………………………….…………………………………………………2.57
Cost Per Kilogram in Pesos………………………………………………………………………………………………..5.71
Yield Per Hectare in Kilograms……………………………………………………………………………………9,190.00
Farmgate Price in Pesos Per Kilogram……………………………..………………………………………………20.38


VII.              References
http://www.da.gov.ph/tips/calamansi.html, accessed December 26, 2010.
http://www.cropsreview.com/calamondin.html
http://www.cropsreview.com/citrus-greening.html
http://mboard.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9116
http://afmis.da.gov.ph/index.php/component/docman/doc_download/1207-calamansicostandreturn2009.html
Verheij, E.W.M. and R.E. Coronel (eds.). 1992. Edible fruits and nuts. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 2. Bogor, Indonesia: Prosea Foundation. pp. 117-119.

Swine Raising

Hog raising is a very popular enterprise in the Philippines such that there is a proliferation of backyard producers, which dominates the swine industry and a healthy viable commercial sector.
Despite the crises facing the swine industry, still many people are venturing in this enterprise. This manual hopes to bring appropriate technology to the interested farmers and would-be swine producers in order that they may realize profitable production and improve their quality of life.
Most gilts of the improved breeds reach the age of puberty at about six to eight months of age but they should not be bred until they are eight months of age or are weighing about 90 to 100 kg. Generally, boars should be four to six months old at the time of selection. Whatever systems of operation, hog houses must be constructed properly to ensure maximum performance of the pigs. A good hog house may not improve the health conditions of the animals but a poor one will certainly increase disease problem easily. The gilt should have well developed udder with a minimum of six pairs of properly spaced function teats. A sow with poor udder development is likely to have a poor milking capacity;
Choose those which do not have inverted teats such teats are inherited and do not secrete milk;
A long body is more desirably in sows because it provides more space for udder development;
The body should have a uniform width from front to rear;
Good development of the ham. Loin and shoulder is required of a breeding animal;
Must have a sound and well placed feet and legs. Animals with medium short feet and short upright pasterns are preferable;
Make it a point to select the biggest animals within a litter;
Female breeders should come from a litter of eight or more good-sized piglets with high survivability;
Do not keep the gilts that come from sows in which agalactia (failure to secrete milk) have been observed;
Select vigorous and hardy pigs from a healthy litter in a herd raised under good swine sanitation. Do not keep gilts or boars from litters that have physical abnormalities. 


www,phillippinesagriculture.com

Let's ruminate on it

Sheep belong to the ruminant classification of animals. Ruminants are characterized by their four-chambered stomach and "cud-chewing" behavior. Cud is a food bolus that is regurgitated, rechewed, and reswallowed. 

Ruminants
There are about 150 different domestic and wild ruminant species including cows, goats, deer, buffalo, bison, giraffe, moose and elk. Ruminant animals are further classified by the foraging behavior: grazers, browsers, or intermediate grazers. Grazers, such as cattle, consume mostly lower quality grasses while browsers such as moose and mule deer stay in the woods and eat highly nutritious twigs and shrubs.
Intermediats, such as sheep, goats, and white tail deer, have nutritional requirements midway between grazers and browsers. Of this group, sheep are more of a grazer, while goats and deer are browsers.
The primary difference between ruminants and simple-stomach animals (called monogastrics), such as people, dogs, and pigs is the presense of a four-compartment stomach. The four parts are the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. Often it's said that ruminants have four stomachs. In reality, their "stomach" has four parts.
The rumen is a large fermentation vat. It contains billions of microorganisms, including bacteria and protozoa, which allow ruminants to digest fibrous feeds such as grass, hay, and silage that other animals cannot efficiently utilize. Fermentation in the rumen produces enormous quantities of gas that ruminants get rid of by belching (burping). Anything that interferes with belching is life-threatening to the ruminant and may result in a condition called bloat. Mild cases of bloat can usually be successful treated with an antacid or sodium bicarbonate.


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Crop Production

Crop production is a complex business, requiring many skills (such as biology, agronomy, mechanics, and marketing) and covering a variety of operations throughout the year. In this module, the practice of crop production will be described by discussing eight components in the crop production cycle:
For each component, the operations and when they need to be carried out, the machinery or equipment farmers use, potential environmental concerns related to that component, and best management practices recommended to minimize environmental problems will be described.
Growing crops for food was one of the first priorities of the earliest settlers arriving in North America. With shipboard supplies depleted, and having little familiarity with the land and native vegetation, groups arriving from Europe were quickly forced to learn to produce crops to ensure their survival. The stories of Native Americans teaching the settlers to plant and fertilize a corn crop are part of this country’s lore.
In the era of Thomas Jefferson (arguably the most illustrious farmer that this nation has produced), farmers made up about 90% of the work force. As late as 1900, almost 40% of the labor force was engaged in producing crops and livestock for food, feed, and fiber. Now, with less than one percent of our population claiming farming as a principal occupation, most U.S. citizens have little or no crop production experience. This section provides an overview of the principles and practices associated with production of the major crops grown in the United States.

 source. United States,agriculture