DTI holds training on maguey fiber processing in Aloguinsan

CEBU, Philippines - Under the agency’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the Department of Trade and Industry - Cebu (DTI-Cebu) initiated a training on product development and upgrade for maguey fiber in the town of Aloguinsan to further improve the skills of the community members and boost the marketability of their fiber products.

Officials of DTI-Cebu and Fiber Industry Development Authority Region 7 visited Aloguinsan to conduct a seminar that ran from April 16 to 19 which was participated by 30 farmers, beneficiaries and members of local organizations such as Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS), Kantabogon Ecotourism Association (KEA) and Cultural Heritage for Aloguinsan Tourism (CHAT).

Most of these trainees who come from agrarian reform communities of Esperanza, Sac-sac and Toyokon have undergone last year’s training on maguey fiber extraction seminar and related processes.

Their finished outputs are being used as packaging materials for the camote bread sold in the domestic market and for giveaways during the “Suroy-suroy Sugbo”.

The trade department saw the need to enhance the production of quality maguey fiber products that will result to a higher salability in the domestic and export markets.

The four-day training was aimed to develop the knowledge and techniques of the local community in bleaching and dyeing and scrunching maguey fiber and wall drapes.

In order for them to produce quality maguey fiber products to the export market, there is a need to improve the said products through upgrading training on scrunching, and develop additional maguey products like wall drapes, boxes and bags.

According to DTI-Cebu trade and industry development senior specialist Lurli Abaño, the seminar aims to establish market linkages among the trained group and develop at least five new micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Maguey, which belongs in the abaca family, could be used as a raw material in producing carpets, rugs, doormats, bags, ropes, cords, and sacks. /JOB (FREEMAN)