Abaca or banana in the Philippines
Processing crop tree fibers Abaca or Banana in the Philippines Photo source Picasa Web Albums License Details: Click Here Abaca (English pronunciation: / ɑ ː ː bəkɑ / ah-KAH-bə, the Spanish "Abaca" for Musa textilis) is a banana species native to the Philippines, which is widely grown, both in Borneo and in Sumatra. Sometimes referred to as "Bakbakkar." The plant is of great economic importance, being harvested for its fiber, once commonly called Manila hemp, extracted from the leaf sheath around the stem. On average, the plant grows about 20 feet (6 meters) tall. The fiber was originally used to make twine and rope, and the provision of Manila, and now most of Abaca pulp is used in a variety of similar products including paper and filter paper tickets. It is classified as a hard fiber, along with coconut, sisal and henequen. The plant name is sometimes written as Abaka. Abaca is cultivated for the first...