Customs awards Shemberg as year's top exporter

Because of strong demand from the world market, carrageenan exporter Shemberg Marketing Corporation (SMC) was named Cebu Port's top one exporter this year.

The Bureau of Customs (BoC)-Cebu district awarded Shemberg as the top exporter of the year, followed closely by Profood International Corporation, Marine Colloids Philippines, Cenapro Chem. Corporation, and CP Kelco Philippines. Inc.

Agri-based export products shipped by carrageenan exporters like Shemberg, CP Kelco, Marine Colloids, along with Profood International Corporation, outsmarted furniture exports this year, in terms of shipping volumes going to other countries.

In an interview with Shemberg president and chief executive officer (CEO) Benson U. Dakay during the awarding ceremony held at the BoC compound early this week, he said that the strong demand for carrageenan product in the world market has put Shemberg and other carrageenan processors on the top five ranking.

Although, the Philippines is suffering from declining seaweed supply due to natural calamities, like typhoon, Dakay said seaweed processors were able to meet the increasing demand for the product in the global market, through importing seaweeds from other countries like Indonesia and Vietnam.

About 50 percent of the total requirement of carrageenan processors in the Philippines is outsourced from these two countries.

In the last 11 months this year, carrageenan exporters in the Philippines deployed a total export value of US$165 million, from US$150 million in 2005.

Dakay said the strengthening of the peso against the US dollar continually poses threat to the carrageenan export industry.

"Strong peso is always a concern to the exporters, it makes our product uncompetitive," he said.