#MINDANAO
John Tria
I walked through the recent Davao Agritrade Expo (DATE) last Sept. 29-30, and bought many new products ranging from processed food to stuff for the farm. Yet more than these objects are the key takeaways and realization which sparked a lot of thought and discussion.
First, Mindanao is not only the country’s food basket from which 40 percent of total food is produced, but it is also the capital of agricultural exports which contribute a big chunk to our agriculture output. We are among the world’s largest producer of bananas and pineapples, and a leading global source of tuna because of Mindanao.
Thus, the profile of a Mindanaoan agripreneur is not only that of a subsistence farmer, but includes competitive growers and exporters of high quality produce. It comes with an understanding that agribusiness requires the intestinal fortitude and patience to deal with natural processes involved in growing crops and raising animals, historical issues on peace and order, and current climate-related threats. Harnessing technology and the value chain is thus critical to profit from production.
A unique phenomenon I noted in this year’s agri-trade expo is how we see more agripreneurs going up the value chain.
In the case of the cacao industry, expo exhibitors who began growing cacao and producing tablea or cocoa callets (the one you need to boil into a drink) 10 years ago now make chocolate spreads, blocks for bakery applications, cocoa drink mixes, and dessert confections such as candies. These products now have flavor and texture that can compete with foreign brands. They are even available in mainstream supermarkets and online stores.
A look at the cacao city cooperative website and social media pages affirms this. Looks like declaring Davao as the cacao capital in 2020, through Republic Act 11547, has shone a light on this growing industry.
In the coffee sector, we see a similar value chain integration. Coffee growers like Sergio-Loon from Davao del Sur have made the leap from growing high quality green beans (the ones that need to be roasted) to setting up a coffee shop. This is what "bean to cup" means. Other growers are likely to follow suit soon.
In the Philippine Coffee Expo in Davao a few weeks ago, a host of local pop up coffee brands that emerged during the pandemic have happily displayed their products, with a few transitioning into full time coffee shops. These startup coffee shops have driven the demand for coffee produced in local farms, since they choose to feature homegrown harvests.
What is common among the cacao and coffee agripreneurs is that many are millennials, eager and capable of pushing their products online.
Yet there are challenges. One is that our cacao and coffee production needs to expand to meet the increased demand. Our cacao production at between 12, 000 to 15,000 metric tons is still below our national demand of 37,000 tons. Coffee shops are also having difficulty looking for supply of local beans. This will be an opportunity for producers.
Moreover, challenges such as climate change wreaking havoc on planting and harvesting schedules, animal diseases threatening stock populations, demand new technology to help farms cope. Technology is not just about machinery and equipment. It also includes methods and practices that can raise yields, and strengthen animal health. Technology changes will be needed to achieve higher productivity, lower production costs while lowering prices for poor consumers in our current scenario.
With these takeaways I look forward to the Mindanao Food Congress on Oct. 26 -30 in Cagayan de Oro.