The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) spearheaded the roll out of completed Commodity Industry Roadmaps (CIRs) for High-Value Crops (HVCs) on October 26 and 28, 2022.
The CIRs focused on industry strategies, short to medium term action plans, and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) commitments and investments for various HVC commodities.
Twenty-one CIRs were recently developed and approved for selected priority commodities, which would serve as guides on how industries will achieve their goals of inclusive growth through a value chain approach, and how they will increase and sustain yields and incomes.
Improving the coffee farmers’ standard of living (15% increase per annum) through diversified sustainable agricultural systems would be the focus of the Coffee CIR. The DA-High Value Crops Development Program (DA-HVCDP) will invest PhP99.7 Million for the coffee industry, which would provide 312,000 planting materials and prepare 227,500 coffee trees for techno-demonstrations.
Following the Cacao CIR, the Philippine cacao industry will be transformed into a globally competitive and sustainable industry built on a strong brand and high-quality beans. For 2023, PhP74.8 Million will be invested into the industry in the form of planting materials, trees for techno-demonstrations, and technology training, contributing to the industry’s goal of a 40% annual increase in production.
The DA-HVCDP will allocate PhP102.5 Million to the mango industry, realizing the Mango CIR’s goal of creating a sustainable and resilient Philippine Mango industry that could produce competitive and world-class mangoes. The Mango CIR proposes viable strategies like the establishment of export treatment and processing facilities, improving post-harvest technologies, and stricter border restrictions to protect local mango production.
Meanwhile, the Banana CIR projects a 3% increase in global market share for both fresh fruit and value-added products like banana chips and banana flour. Currently, the Philippines ranks No. 2 globally in banana exports, and is the top banana exporter in Asia, contributing 90% to regional banana exports.
In 2023, the Philippine coconut authority will also allot funds to increase and sustain coconut production (PhP426.6 Million), to establish coconut-based farming systems and agribusiness hubs and corridors (PhP34.5 Million), and to strengthen institutional, policy, and other support services (PhP20 Million) in line with the goals of the Coconut CIR.
In his closing remarks, DA-Bureau of Plant Industry OIC-Director Gerald Glenn F. Panganiban said that the CIRs contain the blueprint to develop internal capacities to absorb, adapt, and transform our industry value chain for future challenges.
Copies of the CIRs are available at www.pcaf.da.gov.ph. | SMA
