TORRIJOS, Marinduque — A new wave of calamansi planting is taking root in Torrijos as the Department of Agriculture (DA)–Marinduque distributed 5,000 calamansi seedlings to farmers in Barangay Pakaskasan, strengthening efforts to expand agricultural production in the municipality.
The distribution, reported by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), is aimed at promoting calamansi production among local farmers and giving communities another potential source of agricultural income.
The move puts a familiar Philippine crop at the center of a broader agricultural push in MIMAROPA, a region that has long been an important production area for calamansi.
Why the 5,000 seedlings matter
The number may appear modest compared with commercial-scale plantations, but planting materials are a critical starting point for expanding fruit production.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) identifies calamansi as one of the country’s major fruit crops. Its agricultural statistics show that MIMAROPA has repeatedly ranked among the country’s leading calamansi-producing regions.
In the third quarter of 2024, MIMAROPA was the country’s top calamansi-producing region, accounting for about 33.51 thousand metric tons, or 58.2 percent of national production for the quarter, according to PSA data.
That regional strength gives Marinduque farmers an existing agricultural market and production ecosystem to build on.
A crop with established demand
Calamansi is deeply embedded in the Philippine food economy, from household kitchens to restaurants, food processors and beverage makers.
But increasing production is not simply a matter of putting seedlings in the ground.
Farmers must contend with the quality of planting materials, pests and diseases, farm management, weather conditions, post-harvest handling and market prices.
Research and government agricultural programs have previously identified limited access to quality seedlings, pest and disease problems, inconsistent fruit quality and aging trees among challenges affecting calamansi production in parts of the Philippines.
This makes the provision of planting materials potentially important beyond the initial distribution itself.
MIMAROPA’s calamansi advantage
The latest initiative also comes against the backdrop of MIMAROPA’s established position in the country’s calamansi industry.
SEARCA previously reported that MIMAROPA accounted for 32.6 percent of Philippine calamansi production in 2020, with Oriental Mindoro responsible for the overwhelming majority of the region’s output at that time.
More recent PSA figures continue to show the region’s importance.
For example, PSA data for the first quarter of 2024 recorded 1,391.14 metric tons of calamansi production in Oriental Mindoro, a sharp increase from the same period a year earlier.
The figures underline why expanding production in other parts of MIMAROPA could have significance for the region’s agricultural economy.
But seedlings alone won’t guarantee bigger harvests
The real test for the Torrijos initiative will come after the distribution.
For the 5,000 seedlings to translate into sustained farmer income, the trees will need to survive, mature and eventually produce commercially viable harvests.
That means continued technical assistance can be just as important as the initial planting material.
Farmers will need appropriate guidance on orchard establishment, nutrient management, pruning, pest and disease control, harvesting and post-harvest practices. These factors can determine whether a planting program becomes a productive farm enterprise or simply another distribution activity.
The experience of calamansi-producing areas elsewhere in the country shows that productivity can be affected by aging trees, pests and diseases, production practices and market conditions.
A possible new opportunity for Torrijos
For farmers in Barangay Pakaskasan, however, the immediate message is straightforward: 5,000 new calamansi seedlings mean 5,000 more chances to establish productive trees.
The DA’s intervention could help farmers diversify their crops while strengthening the supply of a fruit for which the wider MIMAROPA region already has a strong production base.
The long-term impact will depend on what follows the distribution—particularly whether farmers receive sustained technical support and whether the resulting harvests can find profitable markets.
For now, the seedlings are only the beginning.
What ultimately matters is how many of those 5,000 trees survive, bear fruit and generate income for Torrijos families in the years ahead.
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