Let's go soybean!

There is a very promising crop program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that has caught our attention. This is the Philippine Sustainable Soybean Production program which seeks to inform and empower our local farmers, even the small ones, in soybean farming.

Among the ASEAN nations, our country lags in soybean production. In fact, not only in production but in soybean consumption as food as well, but that is another story. Currently, our soybean importation is P2 billion a year, and this is mostly from the feed industry. Soybean is an important component of feeds, specifically for the swine and poultry sectors, and the Philippines is the leading importer of soybeans in the region. The question is why, when our local soil conditions and weather favor the planting of the soya bean. But the fact remains that we as a nation import about 95% of our soybean requirements, and we have been leading the list of importers for fifteen years now.

The Department of Agriculture is now embarking on this program to recognize the soybean’s vital role not only in the feed industry but in the all-important food industry as well. Malnutrition is a given fact among the impoverished members of our society, and the DA cannot underscore the health and nutrition benefits of soya. It is food so rich in protein that malnourished kids in public schools will instantly bounce back to good health with a regular supply of soya bean products in their diet. Best of all, it is cheap and affordable, and farmers can be trained by the DA to process their excess soybean harvest to food on the table for their families.

But why is the simple soy bean overlooked by the Filipino farmer? With so much paid in importation of this legume, our local soybean production has never exceeded 12,000 hectares. It is certified as a high value crop by the DA’s High Value Commercial Development Program and the Bureau of Agricultural Research, so the profitability of soybean farming is not a question.

Perhaps it is lack of knowledge on the farmers’ part on processing and eventual marketing of the produce. The program seeks to provide the knowledge, support system as well as incentive program, though the latter is not very promising because it only underlines the health benefits of the soybean as food on the table for the families of the farmers. However, providing the right education especially in the processing and marketing of soybean products would be vital. The government agency is also open to extending assistance on the mechanization aspect (farm implements), as well as training on the formulation of animal feeds using soybean. This one is a profit-center for the farmers as this removes the margin on importation and the lower prices can be an incentive to the importers.

Another edge of the soy bean is this: among the legumes which are known as nitrogen-fixing crops, the soybean tops the list as among the best performing legumes in the short list. It simply means that when you plant soybeans in a given parcel of land, that parcel is sure to be rejuvenated, thus enhancing the productivity of the soil, precisely due to the high nitrogen-fixing capabilities of the soy bean. Our resource person for this and other vital information on the program is Mrs. Rosemarie Aquino, Senior Agriculturist of the DA region 2 (Cagayan Valley). The Department of Agriculture is encouraging the small soybean farmer to allot some of his produce to provide high-nutrition soya products as food for his family. The DA is also encouraging them to engage in backyard swine raising using feeds processed from his soybean produce. They are willing to provide them the technical assistance for this small-scale feed production.

Actually, the Philippine Sustainable Soybean Production program focuses on organic production, which as we all know can be more expensive than the usual conventional production. But organic produce already has an established niche in the international market, not so much the domestic market. They are looking at Japan, one of the biggest markets for organic soy bean products, and in fact, they have begun to establish linkage with Yazaki of Japan to possibly supply their needs for organic soy bean.

The good news is they have started implementing the project already in Region 2 and some areas in Mindanao, though we are still far from realizing the commercial production of soybeans. The first, 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2011 will be devoted to producing certified high quality seeds as planting materials for the farmers. After phase one which is the seed production, they are ready for Phase 2 of the program which is enhancing the farming communities’ capability to market their products.

However, they need the assistance of lending institutions to make the project viable. The Land Bank of the Philippines should be able to participate in this program, but we hope other lending institutions will seriously study the program and see how they can fit it into their lending operations. Too, they need strong partnerships with the private sector, especially in the processing and marketing of the soybean products.        

A highly successful food expo

The recently-concluded 10th Philippine Food Expo (Feb. 24-27 at the World Trade Center) was very well attended. Some 400 exhibitors participated in the four-day event, up from 320 last year. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Ortiz, Chair of PCCI, was there to personally oversee the event. As founder of PhilExport, he has taken a personal interest in these food fairs and supports them in whatever way he can. He says they have gained grounds in recent years, though we are still miles behind Thailand and Malaysia in agri-based exports. 

Recent figures put Thailand’s agri exports at $31 billion and Malaysia’s at $27 billion, compared to the Philippines’ paltry P2 billion. But we appreciate the keen and earnest efforts of Phil Export to promote Philippine agri-based exports through ventures like the Philfoodex which has gained a strong following among the country’s small food entrepreneurs.

Another baby boomer hit from Ovation

The one-night stand of Don Mclean last Wednesday, March 2 at the Araneta Coliseum as presented by Ovation Productions with the country’s top impresarios, Renen and Cel de Guia at the helm, was another huge success.  Like many other international artists, he sang a few songs totally unfamiliar to the Filipino audience, but when he sang old familiar hits like And I love You So and Vincent for instance, the crowd went wild with appreciation.

The finale number was well planned—it was American Pie which had the crowd standing up and singing along with the genial and affable singer. American Pie, of course, holds the distinction of being one of the longest songs in radio history, so the full-packed crowd at the Araneta Coliseum that night stood, clapped and sang along, and even danced for almost ten minutes with Don Mclean.

Of course, after that, the crowd wouldn’t let go of him. He left the stage after a standing ovation, only to come back, plug in his guitar again, and sing the much-awaited Birthday Song plus another two songs for the audience. Don clearly loved the audience, but he also endeared himself for heeding the audience’s clamor for more. And yes, Don’s voice was still in excellent form, with a clarity that not too many singers can boast of. After all these years, it’s still the same Don Mclean.

That’s why I never miss any of these concerts of baby boomer favorites.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino. 

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