Plans are underway to significantly expand coffee, cacao and rubber production on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines as the government’s National Greening Program focuses on high-value crops.

The Business Mirror reports that by 2016, more than 116,000 hectares of rubber plantations are expected to be established across the Philippines. Coffee is to be established on around 88,000-hectares with 42 per cent of this in Mindanao. For cacao, the target is 60,000 hectares.

Planting material will be provided by DENR-funded clonal nurseries and a further 5 tree nurseries will be built during the year. It is hoped that quality planting material will be available in time for the June planting season.

Funding is also being made available to establish trees plantations on 300,000 hectares, in particular falcate (one of the country’s top wood exports) and mangrove to help protect against rising sea levels and storm surges.

Read the full story: PHL greening program aims to build rubber, coffee, cacao plantations on P6.2-B budget