Agriculture key to Asean integration, says group

The country’s readiness for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) integration hinges on how the next Philippine leaders would treat the agriculture sector, according to a group of vegetable farmers and traders.

In a statement, the group Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines (Vieva) said that while a third of the country’s labor force is in the agriculture sector, these workers are also among the poorest.

Also, at least a third of the country’s land is devoted to agriculture, making the sector capable of defining how overall economic growth would trickle down amid the challenge being posed by Asean integration.

Lilia Cruz, Vieva head, cited the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (Afma), which took effect 17 years ago but has failed so far to bring Philippine agriculture at par with its Asean counterparts.

Cruz said while agriculture is the country’s largest economic sector, it contributed only 10 percent to gross domestic product every year although it grows at a rate of 1.78 percent annually.

“Agriculture needs immense support from the government and the private sector for it to truly blossom and be the country’s springboard toward becoming the next Asian Tiger,” said Cruz.

The statement said farmers continue to be considered as high risk borrowers by banks, depriving them of access to sources of capital.

Vieva, in 2013, launched a program called Balik Binhi, which offered production loans to more than 2,000 beneficiaries but Cruz said this was not sufficient because farmers have limited resources.

The group also implemented a program called Lakbay Aral, which brought groups of farmers across the country for them to learn different technologies and share their experiences.

“It’s already mid-2015 and full Asean integration is just around the corner,” Cruz said.

“It is up to us to elect public officials who will continue on the track of inclusive growth and prioritize the sector that will spell the difference between failure and success—agriculture,” she said.

Asean integration was also among the issues that shared the limelight at the 13th general assembly of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP) held in Surigao City from June 3-4.

During the assembly, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) counselor Ralph Bean said his government has been helping improve the country’s cold chain systems and increase food safety.

Business and local government representatives at the event welcomed Bean’s statement, noting that the agricultural sector needs to boost competitiveness in time for full Asean integration.

Felix Tiukinhoy, president of Virginia Food Inc., said he was thankful to the US government for heeding the call for first class cold storage facilities in Mindanao.

The US government has identified Caraga region as a pilot area and model site for the Philippine Cold Chain project, a four-year project implemented by Winrock International which aims to improve agricultural productivity and boost income for almost a million farmers and small growers and their families, consumers and other players.

Jim Orprecio, deputy chief of party for the Philippine Cold Chain project, said the USDA, in cooperation with local governments and provincial offices of the Department of Agriculture, is set to establish postharvest facilities in 35 municipalities across Caraga.

“Our focus is to increase the yield per area and reduce post-harvest losses,” Orprecio said.

He said the absence of reliable cold storage facilities leads to over 40 percent in wastage. With a report from Ma. Cecilia L. Rodriguez, Inquirer Mindanao

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