22nd AgriLink to focus on regional agribusiness development

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Maize Federation vice president and Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council chairman Isidro Acosta will lead this year’s AgriLink, the country’s biggest and internationally recognized trade exhibit on agriculture, food and aquaculture.

The trade exhibit, which will run from Oct. 15 to 17 at the World Trade Center Manila, will emphasize regional agribusiness development as an effective approach in enhancing focus on complimentary agricultural crops and agribusiness activities.

Its main focus is to highlight the importance of corn towards food and feed security.

“The Philippine corn industry plays a crucial role in ensuring food security being a major feed input to livestock, poultry and aquaculture sectors. Quality corn also favorably impacts livestock, poultry and aquaculture enterprises,” Acosta said.

 By adopting regional agribusiness development, Cagayan Valley is able to sustain an inclusive and sustainable growth in the corn industry and we remain to be the country’s top producer of corn,” Acosta said.

“Acosta’s expertise, particularly in the corn sector, will help provide entrepreneurs, stakeholders and consumers a better understanding of how regional agribusiness development can improve our supply and value chains as well as address the increasingly changing consumer demand and the new technologies needed to keep our agricultural products globally competitive,” Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development president Antonio Roces said.

From 2001 to 2014, corn production in the region increased from 907,000 metric tons to 1.86 million, contributing 24 percent of the country’s total corn output last year.

The growth is driven by the promotion of yield-boosting and cost-reducing technologies such as hybrid corn seeds currently being subsidized and implemented by the DA’s Cagayan Valley Research Center.

According to Acosta, the regional agribusiness development approach to Cagayan Valley’s corn industry creates a competitive advantage where it brings cohesiveness into the various corn development initiatives from the government and private sectors.

Some of these include the continuous implementation of the DA’s farm machinery program through the provision of equipment.

Aside from featuring a variety of agricultural products and services, the exhibit will also highlight latest technologies, alliances, free seminars, live animal, plant display and other interactive activities that will promote and enhance the potential of different agricultural markets. For more info, contact 09175888799 or email [email protected].