20 agribusiness sectors move to beef up supply chain

Some 20 industry associations representing the country’s various food and agri-business sectors are moving together to bring about world-class efficiency in the supply chain.

This developed as an efficient supply chain proved to be a key factor in attaining competitiveness in the agriculture and food industry.

Led by the Department of Agruculture and the National Agricultural and Fishery Council, the industry associations are helping organize this year’s Agrilink and Foodlink to serve as the medium for that goal.

Agrilink and Foodlink constitute the country’s biggest and most prestigious annual international trade show on agri-business and food.

"And Agrillink/Foodlink 2005 is the perfect event and venue for all the industry players to develop and strengthen their networks of equally efficient suppliers and markets," said Antonio V. Roces, president of the Foundation for Resource Linkage Development (FRLD), a non-government organization serving the agri and food sectors.

FRLD is co-organizing the Agrilink/Foodlink 2005 with the various national industry associations and government agencies that include the Agri-Aqua International, Bureau of Animal Industry, Chamber of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Cooperative Development Authority, Distribution Management Association of the Philippines, Flower Club Philippines, Livestock Development Council, National Federation of Hog Farmers, National Onion Growers Cooperative Marketing Association.

Organic Producers Trade Association, Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association, Philippine Association of Hog Raisers, Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippine Sugar Millers Association, Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center, and Technology and Livelihood Resource Center, among others.

Their member-companies and constituent enterprises are expected to participate in the products exhibition, technology seminars, and business conferences that comprise Agrilink/Foodlink 2005.

Catering to both local and foreign participants, Agrilink is now on its 12th year and Foodlink on its 6th. Both international events are held in tandem annually since 2000.

For this year, Agrilink and Foodlink will have "Efficient Supply Chain: Key to Competitiveness" as its theme.

The twin events, which will be held at the World Trade Center Metro Manila on Oct. 6 to 8, are designed for the pursuit of competitiveess by making available all the products, services, technologies and systems to attain efficiency in the supply chain, while serving as a venue for developing the required level of corporate linkages for such purpose.

At the same time, Agrilink and Foodlink are geared to generate business opportunities, retail sales, booked orders, marketing tie-ups, joint ventures, and other lucrative transactions between the exhibitors and the hordes of visitors and trade buyers.

Inquiries and/or reservations can be made with FRLD (tel. 8384549, 8384852; fax 8384573, or email [email protected], or website www.frld.org/agrilink).

Specifically, Agrilink 2005 covers agricultural chemicals, animal breeding, animal health and nutrition, aquaculture, equipment and machinery, feed ingredients and processing, fertilizers, financial institutions, fruits and vegetables, horticulture, irrigation systems, seafoods, seeds, and wastewater management, among many others.

On the other hand, Foodlink 2005 will comprise beverages, consultancy, cooling and storage facilities, dairy, fishery products, food ingredients and additives, food packaging materials, food processing and packaging, meat products, post-harvest facilities, process automation, processed food, and storage and logistics, among others.