Role of food manufacturers, processors underscored

Jesus T. Tanchanco Sr., president of the Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization (Philfoodex), underscored yesterday the role food manufacturers and processors in the development of the country’s economy, in a speech at a seminar organized by the Dangal ng Lipi Foundation, Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and the Bulacan Province Planning Office at the Hiyas Convention Center in Malolos, Bulacan.

Theme of the seminar was "Updates for Bulacan Food Processor."

Tanchanco said that as civilizations developed and as new technologies were introduced, food processing has, over the years, evolved into a major economic activity that today, it has grown into a multi-million dollar industry.

"Our food producers must produce the best quality products to survive competitions both in the international and local markets. Our attempts at hitting it big in the export market would always depend on our capability to come up with products that can face competition not only in our country but from other countries as well," Tanchanco said.

He exhorts Filipino food processors: "this means we now have to compete not only among ourselves but with the food producers in the US, Europe, Japan, Australia and with our Asian neighbors like Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. And we have to compete in terms or quality, packaging, product mix and cost," he said.

He said the ultimate goal of manufacturing is a quality product that projects company prestige and secure continued patronage by consumers. It is high time that food manufacturers work closely together towards producing products that can stand side by side with the world’s best.

"Packaging is another important area in food manufacturing that can make an impact in the export market. Not only must it be able to contain the product, it must also be able to protect it from spoilage and contamination, "he added.

There are today about 200,000 food manufacturing companies nationwide. Of this number , about 96 percent are categorized as either micro, small and medium that most of them still employ simple technologies and equipment, so much so that their operations are largely manual and labor intensive. Most of these enterprises, are in Bulacan and Pampanga and in other parts of the country.

Tanchanco at the same time asked food manufacturers and processors to join Philfoodex to avail of its services. The organization has strategic alliances with chambers of food manufacturers in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Negros, Baguio and other parts of the country.