Thailand Lotus for Candaba?

[Elvin Sansona]

Just saw the news on GMA 7 about the plan of LGU-Candaba to convert unproductive tilapia ponds to lotus plantation. The plant can be sold with its fresh flower for wedding and other important occasions, the seeds and roots are used in culinary while the leaves are used for packing Chinese food. Mayor Jerry's plan is good for the people because Singapore and other countries are lining up as prospective buyers in bulk.

Just to spur discussion on possible ecological effects of this exotic species, I'm starting this thread.

What you think?

[Neon Rosell II]

I've seen lots of ponds planted with lotus in Thailand and I can't see that there was water bellow it, It chokes the pond.

Well if it is for money then I guess it's a good idea. If you're aiming for both money and wildlife then some zoning should be done to leave some open space for the ducks.

[Ronnie Dominguez]

isnt it an invasive plant? if the target is the export market which is expected to be by the bulk or tons and tons, then we can see a lot of hectarage being converted.

[Elvin Sansona]

Yes its invasive and no known biological control. Even our own water hyacinth a close relative of this aquatic plant is spreading havoc in our major lakes, rivers and other freshwater bodies. It even clogged our drainage systems. Another environmental nightmare in the making...

Neon's fear might come true that our waterbirds will soon have no more open areas to utilize.

Yes Ron it would take a lot of areas to cover for growing to accommodate the demand.

[lenymanalo]

We have about 1,500 has. of idle fishponds right now because of the high cost of feeds. Most of them can no longer be planted to rice and other crops because they are too deep and prone to flooding. Some of these fishponds will be tested for lotus farming. Most of the ponds are in the Lanang-Mandasig-Magumbali area and are in the Northwestern part of Candaba that is some 14 kilometers away from Simang. The wild ducks don't stay there except in few spots in Magumbali during the early months of migration when it is flooded. The ducks it seems prefer flooded rice fields to fish ponds. Simang is really an exception where they congregate when most of the floodwater in the swamp is drained in preparation for planting. The swamp was originally covered by the local variety of lotus called tukal (what they call the tuber also) during the rainy days. The local lotus stalk called luke and tuber called tukal are edible and were instrumental in the survival of the people there during the war. Rice farming wiped out this local variety except in few places now in Candaba. But unlike the local tukal the Nelumbo nucifera variety grows much taller and the flower stalk can reach 10 feet tall while the huge leaves are really huge. If commercially grown for their seeds and roots they are planted and harvested by season like any other crops. Seeds are harvested after about 6 months and the plants are uprooted for the roots after another 3 months. In Thailand this variety was used for cleaning the water of the canals. Crakes and Jacanas are attracted by the lotuses. While the Nelumbo nucifera has been sold by local garden and plant shops for a time now Candaba I think is the first to test planting it in former fish ponds. This variety like the water hyacinth grows very very fast and planting will have to be controlled for obvious reasons.

Below is a photo of one of the Lotus ponds.

[Elvin Sansona]

thanks for the info. i believe development most of the time collides with environment but with planning and research, win-win situation can be achieve. whats important is to balance ecology and economy...whats the use of a biodiverse area when the people are hungry or how would highly developed area exists when biodiversity is lost. its just a matter of setting the policy to balance these things and keep these things in balance