The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) said total value of abaca exports increased 40.3 percent last year to $156.62 million from the previous year’s $111.66 million driven by stronger demand for abaca pulp which offset the declines posted by other subsectors.
Exports of abaca pulp surged 80.5 percent to $123.1 million from $68.2 million.
Raw abaca fiber registered the biggest decline of 25 percent to $23.41 million from $31.37 million.
Abaca cordage meanwhile dropped 18.1 percent to $7.65 million compared to 2018’s $9.34 million.
Abaca fiber crafts declined 17.3 percent to $1.38 million f $1.67 million as abaca fabrics and yarns slid by 1.1 percent to $1.07 million from $1.08 million.
PhilFIDA said from 93,982 raw abaca fiber bales of 125 kilograms exported, 45 percent went to the United Kingdom with 42,425 bales.
Japan received 35,502 bales (37.8 percent), Spain with 13,020 bales (13.9 percent) and China with 2,452 (2.6 percent).
From the 27,963.048 metric tons (MT) of abaca pulp exported, the UK bought 12,651.608 MT (45.2 percent); Germany, 7,756.396 MT (27.7 percent); Japan, 2,491.954 MT (8.9 percent) and US, 1,863.720 (6.7 percent).
