Look|| Gov. Edwin Ongchuan and his wife, Ms. Bles Ongchuan, presented the Pili nut, a product from Northern Samar, to First Lady Honeylet Avanceña, DTI Usec Gani Macatoman and Phil Ambassador to Germany Theresa de Vega, yesterday, October 5, 2019 during the ANUGA Food Show, at Cologne, Germany.
Pili trees have been thriving in the towns of Lavezares, Allen, San Isidro, and Bobon in Northern Samar. These towns are close to the seaport that links Northern Samar to Sorsogon.
About 15,000 pili trees have been planted in 90 to 100 hectares owned by local farmers.
Over the past years, the Department of Agriculture has been distributing grafted planting materials that will yield in three years. Each tree produces 60 to 100 kilograms of nuts each year. Harvesting is year round but peak harvest is June and July.
"Northern Samar is the only province in Eastern Visayas with pili nuts plantation. It is influenced by Bicol Region’s cultivation practice. As reported by the DA R08, many pili nuts processors in Bicol get their raw materials from our Province, especially in the Balicuatro Area", Gov. Ongchuan said.
The Philippines has the monopoly for pili nuts in the foreign market. The product is exported to countries like Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. And now, with the help of Q-Phil International Trading, it is exported in Germany.