Forum to pitch P2.2 billion worth of agri projects to local, foreign investors

MANILA, Philippines - About P2.2 billion worth of agribusiness projects will be presented to prospective local and foreign investors at the 2nd National Convergence Agri-investment Forum (NCAF) today  at the AIM Conference Center, Makati City .

In a report to DA-DAR-DENR National Convergence Initiative (NCI) Steering Committee headed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, NCI national focal person Marriz B. Agbon, president of the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corporation (PADCC), said an initial 24 agribusiness projects would be presented — most of which are in Mindanao, worth P2.1 billion; followed by Luzon (P77 million) and Visayas (P63M).

The proposed projects were crafted and evaluated under the guidance of the respective DA-DAR-DENR Regional Convergence Technical Working Groups. 

The German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is the development partner of the NCI for the NCAF.

Expected to attend the forum are Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, DAR Secretary Virgilio R. De Los Reyes, and DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje.  

Respective DA, DAR and DENR undersecretaries will discuss the agribusiness and agro-forestry potentials in the Philippines . 

Among the country’s major commodities that have big export demand are natural rubber and coffee.

According to the World Bank, natural rubber has a global demand of 6.685 million metric tons. Major markets are China, US, India and Japan.

Global demand for coffee is estimated at 137,800 million bags, with the US as the major market, followed by Brazil, Germany, Japan and Italy. 

The agri-investment forum will also feature presentations on the production, processing and marketing requirements of bamboo, ethanol, mango, palm oil, pineapple, coco sugar, jackfruit, organic peanut, tilapia, and squash, among other agricultural commodities.

The event aims to gather prospective investors and funding institutions and link them personally with agribusiness project proponents to forge possible business partnerships.

The forum is open to walk-in participants and investors, who wish to be part of this annual event dedicated to market the agribusiness investment proposals from different regions in the country.

The DA-DAR-DENR national convergence initiative is a strategy to develop and operationalize a common framework for sustainable rural development that will facilitate the complementation of resources of the three agencies to maximize the benefits and impact joint agricultural and rural development projects in the countryside.