ANAHAW PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION by ARSENIO B. ELLA and EMMANUEL P. DOMINGO Scientist III and Research Assistant, respectively ITTO PROJECT PD 448/07 REV. 2 (I)
ANAHAW Anahaw (Livistona rotundifolia) is a nontimber forest species with great economic potentials. The palm grows widely throughout the Philippines.
ANAHAW Anahaw grows in a wide range of climate but prefers humid and moist conditions. As a tropical palm, it requires warm temperature and prefers clay and clayloam soils.
ANAHAW Its orbicular, fan shaped leaves or fronds and pleated leaf blades are good roofing and fan making materials while its trunks are preferred for constructing lowcost houses, particularly in rural areas. Anahaw farming can be a joint family venture from the production stage up to the processing and utilization of anahaw products.
Anahaw production Seed collection Collect anahaw fruits when they are red orange in color and are still attached to the inflorescence. Use wooden ladder to collect fruits, sharp scythe to cut the inflorescence, and a rope with attached basket net to gather the fruits. Collect fruits from healthy mother palms.
Anahaw production Seed storage and seed extraction Stock newly collected fruits in clean container like sacks stored under the shed for three to five days. Fruits stored this way ripen easily. After five days of storage, soak the fruits in water to soften the pulpy cover. Remove the pulps and separate the clean seeds for sowing on the same day.
Anahaw production Sowing and transplanting Sow newly extracted seeds evenly on the prepared seedbeds. Press seeds to the soil and cover seedbeds with mulching materials. One month after sowing, transplant 1 cm tall seedlings in 4 x 6 inches polyethylene bags containing pulverized topsoil.
Anahaw production Maintenance and hardening of seedlings Water potted seedlings twice a day, preferably early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Grow the seedlings under partial shade. Fertilize using organic fertilizer like chicken manure to ensure good growth. To condition seeds before out planting, expose sixmonth old seedling to direct sunlight and water once a day. Out plant the seedlings after three months of hardening.
Plantation establishment Site selection and preparation Consider the soil, vegetation, climate and topography. Select an area with humid and moist clay loam soils, elevation range from 200 400 meters above sea level with existing forest cover or some agri crops. Conduct underbrushing or strip brushing, about 1 meter strip. Stake and dig a hole 15 cm deep and 15 cm wide to accommodate the seedlings at a planting distance of 2 m x 2 m.
Plantation establishment Out planting, care and maintenance Out plant at the onset of the rainy season. Remove plastic bags of potted seedlings but keep the soil intact. Plant the seedlings on the prepared holes. Cover with pulverized soil and mulching materials on top. A one hectare plantation with 2 m x 2 m spacing will produce 2,500 plants. A maximum of 5,000 leaves or fronds per month will be harvested. Ring weed and replant dead seedlings.
HARVESTING
Leaves or fronds Harvest young leaves or fronds when the anahaw stand is at least two to three years old or about 1 2 meters tall. Tip: Maintain 9 11 leaves per palm for high productivity.
Leaves or fronds Harvest a maximum of two leaves per palm per month or 24 leaves per year to maintain high productivity and good quality leaf yield. (This number corresponds to the two young leaves produced or replenished per palm per month). Tip: Harvest mature leaves for use as roofing material.
Trunk Start harvesting anahaw poles when the plants reach 25 years. By then, the anahaw palms shall have reached 12 m tall and 25 cm in diameter. Replace harvested mature anahaw with new seedlings to avoid depletion of the resource.
PROCESSING AND UTILIZATION
Choose young leaves 30 cm to 1 m long. One fan consumes one shoot of anahaw leaf. Fan Divide the leaf into small equal strips. Weave fresh anahaw leaves into desired shape. Dry the woven material for eight hours under the sun.
Fan Continue shaping the fan through weaving. Edge pipe and attach the fan handles. For handles of braided fans, use buri palm. (Bleaching is optional but this is done for about 12 hours when there is discoloration in the fan).
Marketing of Anahaw in Quezon Province: A Case Study The fans have designs that are plain, shell shaped, Sabbath and heart shaped. That cost from Php 5.00 Php 10.00 (US$ 0.10 US$ 0.21) per piece and average Php 6, 000 (US$ 128) is the monthly sale.
Marketing of Anahaw Fans in Quezon Province: A Case Study A. Raw Material Collection Cost (Php/ US$) Processed leaves (15 20 pcs. per bundle) Unprocessed leaves (per leaf as farm gate price) 20.00 / 0.42 1.75/ 0.03 B. Production Labor Fan Weaver (for every 100 pcs. of anahaw fans) Fixer of Fan (for every 100 pcs. of handles) 30.00/ 0.64 15.00/ 0.32
Marketing of Anahaw in Quezon Province: A Case Study Local producer sell anahaw fans by world of mouth. They display fan in front of houses as well the market outlets are retailers, wholesalers and exporters. However, marketing setbacks are experienced such as delayed payment seasonal demand for fans and other cancellation.
Roofing material Use mature anahaw leaves, bamboo splits and rattan ties. The making of anahaw roofs follows some construction standards, particularly those relating to durability. Adopt an 8 inch vertical spacing of bamboo splits. Vary the end lapping of anahaw leaves from 7.5 12.5 cm.
Anahaw roofing assembly
Roofing material Use 3 m long bamboo splits and 50 pieces of anahaw leaves for one square meter anahaw roofing. Add ten pieces of anahaw leaves for every linear meter gutter and 20 pieces for roof ridge and hip line.
Marketing considerations Marketing of anahaw products is quite easy. As of now, the demands for local market of mature leaves as roofing at beach resorts, poultry farms, residential houses, training halls that go with native designs, and boarding houses are not sufficiently met.
Marketing considerations The same is true with the demands for wall decors, fans and anahaw poles for fishpens, hammock holders, tool handles and flooring. Unprocessed leaves sell at P1.75 each at farm gate price while anahaw poles cost P350 each. Anahaw fan sells at P5 P10 per piece in Bicol.
Recommendations were made to improve the marketing of anahaw fans: To form a fans procedures cooperative; For government to boost the anahaw fan industry by: Sponsoring trade fairs through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Fabricating and dryer for anahaw leaves and fans for use during rainy season in coordination with Department of Science and Technology
Recommendations were made to improve the marketing of anahaw fans: Conducting training activities and anahaw propagation and plantation establishment through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and To prepare and economic and financial feasibility study to determine the product s visibility and attract investors/ entrepreneurs to manufacture anahaw fans.
Ecological implications Establishing anahaw plantation helps control soil erosion, provides shade and improves the environment. The palm, being typhoon resistant, is a good intercrop. As a whole, anahaw contributes significantly to boost the ecology and the socio economic environment.
Laws and restrictions Secure cutting permits before cutting anahaw trunk from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).