1 NUEVA ECIJA BIOMASS SITUATIONER Description of Nueva

NUEVA ECIJA BIOMASS SITUATIONER
Description of Nueva Ecija
Location. Nueva Ecija lies at the eastern part of Central Luzon. It is completely
enclosed by the provinces of Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya on the north,
Pampanga and Bulacan on the south, Aurora and Quezon on the east, and
Tarlac on the west.
Thirty-two municipalities, four cities and 849 barangays comprise the province.
Palayan City, the provincial capital, is about 130 km north of Metro-Manila.
The exact measurement of the province's total land area is uncertain because
several studies have made varying estimates based on different survey methods.
These estimates range from a low of 528,443 hectares (DENR Land
Classification) to a high of 634,808 hectares (City and Municipality estimates).
The 2001 Nueva Ecija Profile put the province's total land area at 550,718
hectares. This is about 30 percent of the region's total, which makes Nueva Ecija
the largest province with respect to land area.
Low-lying alluvial plains and rolling uplands characterize the topography of the
province.
Climate. Temperatures in Nueva Ecija range from a minimum average of 22
degrees Celsius during the cooler months of November to March to a maximum
average of about 32 degrees, occurring between April and July.
Three climatic types are found in the province: Type I, with two pronounced
seasons; Type 3, with seasons not very pronounced; and Type IV, with rainfall
evenly distributed throughout the year.
Demography. The official census in 2000 registered Nueva Ecija's population at
1.66 million inhabitants (21% of region's total), with the population growing at an
annual rate of 2.1 percent. This rate is lower than both the national population
growth rate of 2.4 percent and the regional population growth rate of 3.2 percent.
The population density, placed at 302 persons per sq km, is also relatively lower
than the national (255 persons per sq km) and the regional (441 persons per sq
km) figures.
The total number of households in 2000 was 340,158, meaning that the province
accounts for some 21 percent of the total number of families in Central Luzon.
Similar to Bulacan, each household had five members on average. Men slightly
outnumbered women at a ratio of 103:100.
1
Main sources of income. According to the 1997 FIES, the average annual
income for a family in Nueva Ecija was 103,791 pesos, which roughly translates
to 8,650 pesos per month. The major source of income in the province is still
agriculture.
Labor force and employment. The labor force in the province numbered
1,065,000 in 2000. Of this total, only 674,000, or an estimated 63 percent, were
employed. Of these, 42 percent were employed in agricultural activities, 38
percent were engaged in the service sector, and 10 percent were employed in
industry.
Infrastructure and facilities. Nueva Ecija is easily accessible by bus or private
vehicle. The total length of the road network is 5,384 km, the bulk of which (70%)
is comprised of barangay roads. Further, 13 percent is accounted for by
provincial roads, 9 percent by national roads, and another 9 percent by municipal
roads.
Three electric cooperatives and one private franchise power firm supply
electricity in the province. Ninety-three percent-or 706 of the total of 757
barangays covered by the electric cooperatives-had power supply as of 2000. All
of the 89 barangays serviced by the private firm were energized.
Mail services are deemed satisfactory in the province with 39 postal offices
serving the 28 municipalities. As for telephone services, these are basically
provided by PLDT and other private telephone companies.
Land use and agriculture. Using the total land area of 550,718 hectares
estimated in the 2001 Nueva Ecija Profile as reference point, about 330,985
hectares, or 63 percent is classified as alienable and disposable, with the rest
classified as forest lands. About 300,000 hectares are devoted to agriculture.
Only some 94,454 hectares of the 197,448 hectares of forest lands are still
forested, with dipterocarps predominant.
Rice production is the main agricultural activity, boosted by a vast network of
irrigation facilities and appurtenant structures. Average rice yield in 2000 was 4.2
metric tons per hectare. The province is also known for onion, garlic, and corn
production as well as the production of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes,
squash, and eggplant.
Livestock and poultry production are also prevalent and are considered
economically important. In the second quarter of 2000, hog production reached
200,330 heads with some 87 percent of the animals being raised in backyard
farms. Nueva Ecija was the region's top hog producer, surpassing Bulacan, the
erstwhile top. Chicken production stood at 2,839,056 heads.
2
Agricultural Wastes Present in Nueva Ecija
Table 1 presents the dominant crops being planted in Nueva Ecija and the type
of wastes these crops generate. This table also presents the weeds/grasses and
other plants that are commonly present in rice fields or vegetable fields as well as
in other barren areas, which can become wastes. The utilization of biomass
wastes in the province is very minimal and most of the agricultural/biomass
wastes are left in the field or open spaces to rot.
Table 1. Type and kind of plants/crops/weeds/grasses and their
agricultural/biomass wastes in Nueva Ecija.
PLANT/GRASS
Rice
BIOMASS/AGRI WASTE
Hull, straw, leaves, stem, bran
Banana
Stalks, bark, root cuttings, silage, stem,
heart, leaves
Mango
Leaves, branches, twigs
Weeds/Grass/Sedges
(purple nutsedge, carabao grass,
bermuda, cogon, talahib,
Echinochloa sp. Ischaemum
rugosum, Cyperus sp. ,
Sphenoclea zeylanica ,
Monochoria vaginalis,Eleusine
indica,etc.)
Eggplant
Onion, Garlic
Corn/maize
Hay, mowing waste, leaves, stem, straw,
pellets, silage, culms, flowers/inflorescence,
roots
Leaves, stem, root, residue
Leaves
Cob, stalks, stover, straw, shoots, silage,
leaves
3
Squash
Leaves, stems, roots, residue
Melon
(Watermelon, Musk)
Leaves, stem, root, residue
Tomato
Leaves, stem, root, residue
Rice Hull in Nueva Ecija
The Filipinos are among the world's biggest rice consumers. The average Filipino
consumes about 100 kilograms per year of rice. Metro Manila alone consumes
up to 22,000 tons per day of rice or 16% of the country's rice consumption
according to data compiled by the Asia Rice Foundation (ARF). Rice
consumption is increasing at an average of two percent per year. With the
population of the Philippines surpassing the 70 million-mark, rice will continue to
be grown and should match production with corresponding increase in
population.
Rice hull is the by-product of rice milling and accounts for about 20% of the rice
production. The country also has more than 12,000 rice mills spread throughout
the Philippines. These processing centers are the point sources of rice hull each
year.
In Nueva Ecija there are about approximately 24 big rice mills with input capacity
ranging from 30-198 BPH (Table 2) and a total of 272 rice mills, which are point
sources of rice hull in the province (Table 3). The data were gathered from the
Biomass Atlas of the Philippines conducted by the Philippine Biomass Energy
Laboratory, UPLB, Department of Energy and United States Agency for
International Development.
Rice hull estimates based from production data uses a conservative value of
20% recovery, that is, for every ton of palay produced; about 200 kg of rice hull
are generated. This assumption was based on the major processing of palay into
rice using rubber roll rice mill. The kiskisan type of rice milling would not produce
any rice hull and thus, this type of processing center was not identified in the GIS
work (Biomass Atlas of the Philippines). Figure 1 shows the annual rice
production by province in the Philippines. From the figure it is very clear that
Nueva Ecija got the highest rice hull production in Region 3. Figure 2 shows the
4
geographic locations of the big rice mills in Nueva Ecija and the rice hull
generation of each municipality in MT/year.
The utilization of rice hull wastes in the province of Nueva Ecija is very minimal.
There were reported technologies which utilize these wastes on a small-scale
basis but none whatsoever in a large-scale application. The farmers still burn the
wastes, which is the most common means of disposal in the province followed by
dumping of wastes in open field or private spaces.
5
Table 2. List of big rice mills in the Province of Nueva Ecija (GPS-surveyed)
Name
UNKNOWN
N.J. GuintoRM
Valentina
Crisostomo
Diego's RM
P.B. Vendevil RM
UNKNOWN
Ramos RM
J.D.Aguilar
Victor
Del Rosario
Ponciano
Fernando
D.F. DeLeon
Evercrest RM
F.P. Dysico RM
Tambuli RM
Novales RM
V.C. Palilios
A. Castellano
J.M.V. RM
EMC/Golden Mill
Cong. Violago
Ramar RM
Ag Gri RM
Oliver's RM
V.C. Palilio RM2
TYPE
RM
RM
Municipality
Gapan
Gapan
Province
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Latitude
15.23329
15.26260
Longitude
120.95484
120.95136
Input Capacity (BPH)
56
56
Gapan
Gapan
San Leonardo
San Leonardo
San Leonardo
San Leonardo
Nueva
Nueva
Nueva
Nueva
Nueva
Nueva
Ecija
Ecija
Ecija
Ecija
Ecija
Ecija
15.29012
15.30190
15.31763
15.34866
15.35269
15.35358
120.94842
120.94728
120.93698
120.93881
120.93905
120.93912
56
36
36
100
RM
San Leonardo
Nueva Ecija
15.37445
120.94036
100
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
San Leonardo
Talavera
Talavera
Talavera
Talavera
Talavera
Talavera
Sto. Domingo
San Jose City
San Jose City
San Jose City
San Jose City
San Jose City
Muñoz
Talavera
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
15.39113
15.58653
15.59556
15.59944
15.58392
15.60687
15.61853
15.58773
15.75024
15.78492
15.80095
15.81654
15.78386
15.69888
15.61184
120.94113
120.91899
120.92002
120.92070
120.92110
120.92126
120.91069
120.92024
120.94809
120.97441
120.99477
120.99609
120.99503
120.89989
120.91718
30
30
50
30
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
RM
Barangay
Sto. Cristo Sur
Baluarte
Bayanihan
Castellano
Diversion
Andal Aliño
Calipahan
Calipahan
Calipahan
San Pascual
Malayantoc
Sto. Tomas
Abar st.
Malasin
Tulat
Maharlika Hi-way
40
30
80
150
198
6
Table 3. List of ricemills by municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija
ALIAGA
Name/Proprietor
1 Ricardo Antonio
2 Roberto Peduco
3 Gonzalo Moreno
4 Felipe Agulto
5 Eufemia Sangueza
Address
Sto. Rosario
Bucot
Pob. Centro
Gen. Luna St.
San Pablo
BONGABON
Name/Proprietor
1 Benito Tan
2 Jessie Ong
3 Alfredo Lim
4 Danilo Go
5 Estelita Erang
6 Emilio Tabora
7 Neugencia Alfaro
Address
Poblacion
Poblacion
Poblacion
Poblacion
Larcon
Antipolo
Tunay na Bato
CABANATUAN CITY
Name/Proprietor
1 Marcelo Espino
2 Albino Salvador
3 Angelina Yuzon
4 Corazon Joson
5 Ramon Santos
6 Moises Avila
7 Christian Farmers Coop
8 Remigio Isidro
9 Feliciano Mendoza
10 Rosario Pascual
11 Zenaida Mupas
12 Teofilo Mendoza
13 Quirino de Guzman
14 Reynaldo Pagsanjan
15 Elena Javier
16 Gan E. Kiat
17 Dionisio Javier
18 Isidro Castillo, Jr.
19 KBPNE(NEMCOOP)
20 Felipe Cucio, Jr.
21 Josepina Cruz
Address
Bakero
Bangad
Cabu
Maharlika Hi-way
Ibabao-Bana
Mayapyap
Pula
Kalikid Sur
Balite
Sumacab Sur
Lourdes
Pamaldan
Dalampang
Caalibangbangan
39 Obrero
Melencio St.
236 Kalikid Sur
Buliran
Mayapyap Sur
San Isidro
Mayapyap Norte
CABIAO
Name/Proprietor
1 Salvacion Gabriel
2 Carmencita Crespo
3 Maximino Gamboa
4 Remedios Talens
5 Ester Castro
Address
Poblacion
San Juan North
San Roque
San Antonio
Sta. Rita
CABIAO (continuation)
Name/Proprietor
6 Corazon Salonga
7 Miguel Galicia
8 Conchita Amurao
9 Nemesio Corpuz
10 Lorena Cunanan
11 Nelson Liwag
12 Florentino Silva
13 Pablo Lalo
14 Remedios Cabigting
15 Manuel Ortiz
Address
San Fernando Norte
Sta. Rita
Poblacion Sur
San Fernando Sur
Sta. Rita
Poblacion
Poblacion
San Fernando Sur
San Roque
Maligaya St.
CARRANGLAN
Name/Proprietor
1 Irene Asuncion
2 Rogelio Valdevarona
Address
Burgos
San Agustin
CUYAPO
Name/Proprietor
1 Elisa Evangelista
2 Domingo Camilo
3 Renato de Leon
4 Ferdinand Lee
5 Natividad Ancheta
Address
San Antonio
Poblacion
San Antonio
San Jose
Ancheta St.
GABALDON
Name/Proprietor
1 Manuel Parungao
2 Apolinario Costales
3 Shirley Mangilit
Address
Poblacion Norte
Tagumpay
Tagumpay
GAPAN
Name/Proprietor
1 Geronimo Aguinaldo
2 Venancio Libunao
3 Magno Bautista
4 Silvestre Magbilang
5 Honrado Alberto
6 Danilo Padiernos
7 Narciso Guinto
8 Leonilo Matias
9 Eliseo Padiernos
10 Marciana Pablo
11 Dominga Garcia
12 Ramon Palad
13 Rolando de Guzman
14 Gay Padiernos
15 Agustin Cuison
Address
San Nicolas
Sta. Cruz
Baluarte
Baluarte
Parcutela
Malimba
Sto. Cristo
San Nicolas
Malimba
Pambuan
Bayanihan
Bayanihan
San Nicolas
Mangino
Sto. Cristo
7
GAPAN (continuation)
Name/Proprietor
16 San Nicolas R/M Inc.
17 Edgardo Manalastas
18 Reymar Bautista
19 Rogelio Balagtas
20 Angel Linsangan
21 Conrado Ng
22 Rodrigo Pascual
23 George Vergel Santiago
24 Reynaldo Rueda
25 Pedro Diego
26 Valentina Crisostomo
27 Eusebio Hipolito
28 Ricardo Salvador
29 David Sta. Ines
30 Ernesto Malaca
31 Jaime de Guzman
32 Teresita Leoncio
33 Ireneo de Guzman
34 Rolando Batungbakal
Address
San Nicolas
Pambuan
Baluarte
San Nicolas
Pambuan
Baluarte
San Nicolas
Baluarte
Capalangan
Bayanihan
Baluarte
Malimba
Mahipon
San Nicolas
Malimba
Baluarte
Baluarte
Baluarte
San Roque
GEN. NATIVIDAD
Name/Proprietor
1 Teofila Macapas
2 Graciano Fernandez
3 Onofre Gajonera
4 Leocadia Fabros
Address
Balangkare Norte
Pinahan
Talabutab Norte
Talabutab Norte
GUIMBA
Name/Proprietor
1 Jose Torres
2 Wilfredo Santos
3 Ernesto Galang
4 Virgilio Sadomas
5 Guimba Golden Bee
6 Arturo de Ocampo
7 Marcelo de Vera
8 Rosario David
9 Serafica de Guzman
10 Belinda Reyes
11 Wilfredo Frani
12 Angelita Angel
13 Policarpio Noverio
14 Nanette Ocampo
15 Renato Santos
Address
Poblacion
Poblacion
Triala
Ramos St.
San Roque
Macatcatwi
Ramos St.
Pasong Inchik
Poblacion
Bunol
Cavite
4 Faigal St.
Bunol
Poblacion
Bacayao
JAEN
Name/Proprietor
1 Natividad de Guzman
2 Francisco Menuzon
3 Asuncion Sawit
4 Rarama Natividad
5 Golden Grains Gen.M
6 Joaquin Germinigildo
7 Delfin Embuscado
8 Jose Policarpio
Address
Niyugan
Niyugan
Marawa
Poblacion
Malabon
Dampulan
Sto. Tomas North
Sto. Tomas North
LICAB
Name/Proprietor
1 Victorino Enriquez
2 Julieta Puno
3 Rolando Tomas
4 Elisa Mapa
5 Yolanda Rivera
6 Danilo Manantan
7 Ofelia Lugod
Address
Sta. Maria
San Juan
Poblacion Norte
Poblacion Norte
San Cristobal
San Cristobal
Poblacion Norte
LLANERA
Name/Proprietor
1 Edgardo Casamina
2 Salud Apostol
3 Remigia Gines
4 Eusebio Junio
5 Romel Garcia
6 Rizal Tomas
7 Leoncio Lagasca
Address
Poblacion
Gen. Ricarte
San Felipe
Bagumbayan
San Andres
Sta. Barbara
Victoria
LUPAO
Name/Proprietor
1 Sofia Cirineo
2 Raymund Lim
3 Tirso Jacalan
4 Aurora Villarosa
5 Bienvenido Valeroso
6 Rolando Uy
7 Arthur Tienzo
8 Braulio Jacalan
9 Gloria Magpanao
10 Fe Rogriguez
Address
Poblacion
Poblacion
Poblacion
Brgy. North
Poblacion
Poblacion
Brgy. Tienzo
Poblacion
Poblacion
Poblacion
8
MUÑOZ
Name/Proprietor
1 Catalanacan PMPCI
2 Lourdes Tobias
3 Lorenzo Su Hu
4 Ramon Hernando
5 Alberto Tobias, Jr.
6 Christine Lapuz
7 Amado Santos
8 Jaime Ignacio
9 Ruben Fenix
10 Arsenio Syonping
11 Aureliano Coronel
12 Onofre Basa
13 Maryann Fernando
14 P.O. Josefina Andaya
Address
Catalanacan
Poblacion South
Poblacion
De los Santos St.
Bantug
Tobias St.
De los Santos St.
Bantug West
Poblacion
Poblacion
De los Santos St.
61 Mambangnan
Poblacion
Bantug Curva
PALAYAN CITY
Name/Proprietor
1 Manuell Baccangen
Address
Palale
PANTABANGAN
Name/Proprietor
1 Pepito Marzo
Address
Pantabangan
QUEZON
Name/Proprietor
1 Fe Espiritu
2 Aurora Paez
3 Florida Carpio
4 Fidelito Llapitan
5 Ciriaco Carpio, Sr.
6 Hospicio Restar
7 Marcelo Dagman
Address
San Miguel
Poblacion
Bertese
Poblacion
San Miguel
Bertese
Garbaldon St.
RIZAL
Name/Proprietor
1 Raylito Antonio
2 Eugenio Taliangco
3 Candido Gabaon
4 Ricardo Yerro
5 Rodrigo Gabaon
6 Gerry Corbillon
7 Ester Velasco
Address
Agbannawag
Poblacion Sur
Poblacion Centro
Munsayac St.
Pob. Este
Pob. Este
Poblacion
SAN ANTONIO
Name/Proprietor
1 Antonio Sta. Cruz
2 Anselmo Manarang
Address
San Francisco
San Francisco
SAN ANTONIO (continuation)
Name/Proprietor
Address
3 Ireneo Rivera
San Francisco
4 Antonio Cuevo
San Mariano East
5 Adelaido Agapito
Tikiw
6 Ramiro de Belen
San Mariano
7 Rodolfo Lustre
San Agustin
SAN ISIDRO
Name/Proprietor
1 Emelita de Belen
2 Alvaro de Guzman
3 Elisea San Vicente
4 Anicia Daymon
5 Victorino Ramos
6 Cesar Borja
7 Leticia Torres
8 Felipe de Guzman
Address
Alua
Malapit
Malapit
San Roque
Pulo
San Roque
Sto. Cristo
Sto. Cristo
SAN JOSE CITY
Name/Proprietor
1 Emilio Vicente
2 Ceferino Ong
3 Rosalina Sanchez
4 Veronica Salvador
5 Joseph Gilbert Violago
6 Antonio Ng
7 Eleuterio Violago
8 Aurora Gomez
9 Marife Clemente
10 Francisco Abelardo
11 Gregorio Felimon
12 Edgardo Castillo
13 Meliton Aglibo
14 Golden Field
15 Romualdo Gripal
16 Andrea Timbol
17 Rolando Timbol
18 Cornelio Eugenio
19 Rogelio Zagala
20 Golder Millers Coop
21 Albert Cukingnan
22 Hilario Gripal
23 Rebecca Salvador
24 King RM & Mill Corp.
25 Manolito Ulanday
26 Juanita Cruz
27 Anita Santos
28 Edgardo Alfonso
Address
Sibul
Abar 1st
Bonifacio St.
Tulat
Sto. Tomas
Cardena St.
Malasin
Sto. Nino 1st
Sto. Nino 1st
Pascual St.
Sibut
Abar 1st
Bonifacio St.
Abar 1st
Tulat
Abar 1st
Abar 1st
Bonifacio St.
del Pilar St.
Abar 1st
Abar 1st
Bonifacio St.
Public Market
Ramos St.
94 Rizal St.
Veterano St.
Abar 1st
Tulat
9
SAN LEONARDO
Name/Proprietor
1 Ariel Embuscado
2 Jose Gavino
3 Victor del Rosario
4 Marcial de Guzman
5 Ponciano Ortiz
6 Protacio Vendivil
7 Cresencia Shamsoddin
8 Magdalena Ramos
9 Reynaldo Ramos
10 Jorge Aguilar
Address
San Anton
Poblacion
National Hi-way
National Hi-way
Tabuating
Castellano
Castellano
National Hi-way
National Hi-way
National Hi-way
STA. ROSA
Name/Proprietor
1 Herminigildo Maningas
2 Gary Maningas
3 Olimpio Baste
4 Digna Mauro
5 Flora Francisco
6 Isidro Evangelista
7 Arsenio Cruz
8 Epifania Odra
Address
Rajal Centro
La fuente
Maliolio
Soledad
San Gregorio
Maliolio
Soledad
Soledad
STO. DOMINGO
Name/Proprietor
1 Lorenzo Jesus
2 Catalina Paez
3 Helen Uy
4 Angel de Guzman
5 Angeleta Castellano
6 Marte del Mundo
Address
Hulo
San Francisco
Sto. Rosario
Malasin
Baloc
Poblacion
TALAVERA
Name/Proprietor
1 Alfredo Cuaresma
2 Dionisio Lasaro
3 Nestor Valenton
4 Lolita Yusi
5 Zanaida Novales
6 Felix Garcia
7 Gloria Morcen
8 Ireneo Grospe
9 Virgilio Palilio
10
11
12
13
Rosalina Palilio
Estanislao dela Cruz
Jose Marcelo
Everest R/M Corp.
TALAVERA (continuation)
Name/Proprietor
Address
14 Leonard Ting
Calipahan
15 Dioscoro de Leon
Poblacion
16 Aniceto Garcia
Poblacion
17 Ernesto Vendivil
Bakal III
18 Ma. Jesusa Herrera
Tabacao
19 Zenaida Novales
Calipahan
TALUGTOG
Name/Proprietor
1 Vivencio Allado
2 Ramon Fronda
3 Emilio Dayag
4 Artemio Briones
5 Demetrio Gonzales
6 Wilfredo Martin
7 Floro Pagaduan
ZARAGOSA
Name/Proprietor
1 Alexander Lagmay
2 Jose Francisco
3 Martin Aquino
4 Magsaysay Salac
5 Felizardo Llanes
Address
Baybayabas
Quezon Dist.
Baybayabas
Poblacion
Magsaysay Dist.
Saverona
Poblacion
Address
Macarse
San Isidro
San Isidro
2456 Fidel St.
TOTAL NO. OF RICE MILLS 272
Address
Talavera
Bakal I
Poblacion
Calipahan
Calipahan
Calipahan
Bagong Sikat
Baluga
San Miguel na
Munti
San Pascual
Poblacion
Minabuyok
Poblacion
10
Fig. 1 .GIS map showing the annual rice production by province
11
Biomass Conversion Technologies
Energy Conversion
Biomass wastes in Nueva Ecija are utilized in cooking. There are cooking stoves
developed mainly for rice hull. In PHILRICE,a gasifier was built in joint collaboration with
a Japanese institution for demonstration pilot project to use rice hull in order to minimize
rice hull production and recycle them into useful products . This gasifier generates
electricity for streetlights in PHILRICE and carbonized rice hull as organic fertilizer.
Non-Energy Conversion
Similarly, there are technologies that are developed in the province which use biomass
wastes such as rice straw as feeds to carabaos as what is being used in the Philippine
Carabao Center.
Rice straws are also being utilized also in Mushroom Production Technology specifically
as substrate for the spawning of mushrooms particularly the Pleurotus sp. However, in
other species of mushroom, Volvariella volvaceae the banana leaves are being used as
the substrate for its production.
Rice straws are also utilized as mulching materials in onion production in Talavera, San
Jose City and Science City of Muñoz. Rice straws are used also in garlic production in
Science City of Muñoz. These are cultural practices of the farmers here in northern
Nueva Ecija.
Rice straw is also one of the components in the manufacture of recycled paper. The
recycled papers are used to make albums, folders, picture frames, lampshades, etc.
The company is called Papel Nueva Ecija.
Rice hull is utilized in the garden business here in Nueva Ecija. They combine the rice
hull with the garden soil in the plastic bags they use in planting the plants that they sell
to people. They use also this technology in landscaping a certain area or in private
houses.
12
Figure 2
13