Fungi cost growers $2.25M

Betel nut growers on Saipan have now lost an estimated $2.25 million, with 30 percent of about 100,000 betel nut trees on the island dying from the bud rot disease.

Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension Education and Service agriculture consultant Isidoro Cabrera said yesterday that the government would also stand to lose 4 percent or $90,000 of its gross revenue from the farmers if the problem persists.

Cabrera said there are over 100,000 betel nut trees on Saipan alone. Rota has 15,000 and Tinian about 10,000.

Betel nut grower and former representative Cris Guerrero said yesterday that a farmer earns roughly $75 per tree every year, which translates to earnings of $6.25 per month per plant.

He said he has lost 30 percent of his income since the fungus, Phytophthora Meadii, infected his plantations weeks ago.

Guerrero started planting betel nut trees in the 1970s. He currently has two plantations, one in Papago, which has more than 3,000 trees, and another on Mt. Tapochao with more than 60 trees. He said his plantation in Papago has been severely affected by the disease and now his Mt. Tapochao plantation is in danger of meeting the same fate.

Guerrero said growing betel nut used to be profitable. Five to 10 years ago, one betel nut tree could earn him $200 per year. But the increase in number of growers has brought the price of betel nut down and from $200 the average income per tree has fallen to $75 per year.

He said farmers used to sell a bag of betel nuts for 75 cents to $1 with less than 10 nuts in one bag.
“They used to buy it for 75 cents per bag. Now that it’s plenty, they would buy it for 70 cents,” he said.

As for the infestation, he said he has already lost a hundred trees, and he sees some new infection in other trees. By the end of the month, he expects to lose more than 200 plants.

He recalled that a healthy tree could produce at least 200 nuts per year or at least 30 pounds per bunch of nuts or a tree could bear fruit four to five bunches a year.

Another former lawmaker who grows betel nut for private use, Frank Aldan, said the spread of the bud rot disease should be controlled because betel nut is part of the culture of the CNMI.

He said the disease has cut down his trees from 200 to only six.

And the worst is yet to come. Plant pathologist Dr. George Wall told the Northern Marianas College in a report last week that the rainy season would likely cause the faster spread of bud rot and most of the infected trees would die. He said an eradication campaign to prevent further infestation is too late.

Guerrero said they are waiting for the go-signal to use the chemicals needed to prevent the spread to other trees. He said he is willing to pay just to save his plantation.

Cabrera said once the chemicals are acquired, the college might charge 15 cents for each injection on a tree but the fee would still have to be approved by CREES.

Cabrera said growers should contact him at 287-0571 if they find a new attack in new areas or if they have questions and concerns regarding the epidemic.