August 17, 2025 | 12:00am
Fruit districts
MANILA, Philippines — Larger investments within the excessive worth crops sector, significantly in dollar-earning commodities, would enhance the nation’s commerce benefit and competitiveness, an agriculture trade group stated.
The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Meals Inc. (PCAFI) stated the federal government ought to contemplate creating “fruit districts” the place manufacturing areas of fruits might be organized round packing homes and processing vegetation to make sure environment friendly provide chain and cut back market prices.
The services could contain processing vegetation to fabricate juice, frozen slices, dried fruits, amongst others.
The districts might be created for the likes of mango, banana, pineapples, amongst others, in response to PCAFI.
The federal government may put money into packages that can enhance the bamboo and okra industries, which have been pushed by the personal sector for the longest time. Export earnings from bamboo can go as a lot as $30 million, such because the case in 2009, PCAFI stated.
“We request for consideration to supply P100 million every for each area from the DA regional discipline workplaces to be able to present planting supplies, develop bamboo plantations and assist the livelihood of rural farmers,” PCAFI president Danilo Fausto stated.
In the meantime, okra farmers want help via fertilizers, chemical compounds and loans at zero curiosity to enhance the standard and quantity of their harvest to capitalize rising demand overseas, PCAFI stated.
“The federal government also needs to enhance its chemical testing services to accommodate all chemical compounds which can be permitted in key markets like Japan to make sure that okras shipped in a foreign country are compliant with the pesticide and chemical residue guidelines of importing international locations,” PCAFI stated.
PCAFI added that the investments would stop Philippine okra shipments from being rejected or suspended by Japan and different overseas international locations as a result of over residue of chemical compounds.
“Okra growers need assistance with these similar points to broaden their gross sales channel in Japan,” Fausto stated.
The Division of Agriculture also needs to register the Philippine calamansi to the Worldwide Geographic Indication to guard the fruit’s model, PCAFI stated. The registration will guarantee that solely calamansi grown within the nation might be labeled as “Philippine calamansi,” PCAFI added.
“That is essential as a result of the Philippines is the principle producer of calamansi on this planet and there are rising circumstances of different international locations rising and advertising comparable merchandise beneath the identical title,” Fausto stated.
The federal government also needs to put money into a laboratory in Area XII to enhance its capability to investigate primary yellow 2 chemical contaminants that has been a rising concern of China in imported durians from different international locations, PCAFI stated.
“Thailand and Vietnam have been closely affected as tons of durian exported to China have been rejected. We have to have the tools in place earlier than the onset of durian season, coming July to November,” Fausto stated.
