SUPPLY SITUATION

Hectarage

As of December 1999, the Philippines has an estimated salago area of 880.2 hectares distributed in three regions as follows:

Region Hectarage

VI 283.3
VII 594.6
IX 2.3

TOTAL 880.2

Production/Baling

Production of salago exhibited a fluctuating trend due to the two-year harvesting cycle of the plant. Production was at its peak in 1996 recorded at 941.7MT while the lowest was in 1991 at 738.5MT.

From 1990-1999, balings of salago fiber average 83.3 MT per year.

DEMAND SITUATION

Export Performance

• Salago exports from 1990-1999 remained relatively constant but followed the same production pattern of fluctuation. During the ten-year period, exports averaged 722MT per annum.
• Exports earnings averaged US$531,498 per annum from 1990-1999. Taiwan was the biggest buyer, contributing 45% of the total earnings generated in 1999.
• Mainland China is the newest market which only started importing salago in 1993. An average of 74MT has been exported to this country from 1993-1999.
• Salago pulp was exported to Taiwan in 1998 at 5MT and in 1999 at 20MT.
• In 1999, the export value of salago reached US$63,600 compared to US$20,000 in 1998.