TACLOBAN CITY – The local government of Tolosa, Leyte is now making necessary steps to promote jackfruit or “langka” propagation in their locality.

Tolosa Mayor Hilario Caadan told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview that he want the propagation of jackfruit in his town because this is among those high value commercial crops (HVCC) that has a sure market after harvest.

“if our plan succeeds, it will help not only the municipality but also the farmers or the jackfruit growers themselves,” Caadan said.

But as of press time, Caadan said they have not yet started the implementation of the program as there are still some preparations to be made.

According to him, about 1,500 plantlets are already available in the municipality for the program. They are set to be distributed to the households throughout Tolosa to whoever is interested in planting jackfruit.

But this number of plantlets, are still not enough as several people might ne interested to plant because of the economic benefits it is expected to give to the grower.

The plantlets will be given to the recipients for free, Caadan said.

He said the additional plantlets or seed pieces of “langka” that they need will come from the Department of Agriculture in the region and some plantlets will be sourced from Mindanao.

Caadan said he will ask the help of the governor or Cong. Remedios Petilla in the marketing aspect of this program as he expects a good number of yield of jackfruit from his town.

According to him, they will ensure that the kind of jackfruit they will produce is of good quality and that which can be exported from the region.

It was learned that there is a joint initiative of Cong. Petilla and Sen. Mar Roxas to put up a “Bagsakan” center in Palo that would help in the marketing of the agricultural products in the region, particularly the vegetables and HVCCs that the farmers will produce.