Filipino organic-certified farm hosts ASEAN conference delegates
MANILA, Philippines — Leonie Agri Corp. (LAC), which is the first and largest organic-certified farm and plant in the Philippines, takes a step into the international market via the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) - Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 2023 ASEAN Conference on Medicinal Forest Trees last September.
LAC, which is a subsidiary of pharmaceutical company PascualLab, welcomed 80 delegates of the ERDB from Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal to its 42-hectare home in Nueva Ecija.
As part of their three-day itinerary, the delegates from the business sector, academe and public sector were given a tour of the newly refurbished LAC.
“We have carefully chosen LAC as the ideal location for the conference tour. LAC is a renowned ‘agriceutical’ company and the tour provided invaluable insights to every individual regarding the importance and utilization of medicinal plants, as well as various forest tree species. This immersive experience further enhanced the understanding and appreciation of the potential benefits that these natural resources hold for society," said ERDB officer-in-charge and assistant director forester Conrado B. Marquez.
The company recently renovated its farm and manufacturing plant to be able to further comply with its parent company’s mission of providing quality health and wellness products and services, as it highlights its combination of organic-based farming methods and produce as well as its pharmaceutical-grade processes and products. Along with its farm and plant improvements, it also expanded its product and service portfolio.
The company is behind the first Lagundi cough relief in the market, Ascof Lagundi, and the first commercially available Sinta food supplement, WellGreens Sinta. It is also offers premium and organic-certified raw materials, including Sambong (Blumea Camphor) and Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa). It also mostly manufactures C-Lium Fibre, while another food supplement, PureGreens Malunggay, is in the pipeline.
Certified by the Department of Agriculture for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and by the Islamic Da’Wah Council of the Philippines for Halal, LAC produces premium organic raw materials to meet the various toll needs of clients.
It has also been certified by the Department of Health’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). It also offers toll manufacturing services such as sachet filling, blistering, dehydration, milling, encapsulation, packaging, spray drying, extraction, essential oil extraction and sterilization.
Originally servicing clients in Southeast Asia, it is gearing up to explore more markets in Asia and the rest of the world in the coming years.
It also supports community development and the livelihood of local farmers by partnering with local communities in Nueva Ecija, Aurora and Bulacan to train farmers on the processes and standards of organic farming.
