Private partners sought for Mindanao projects

The Department of Agriculture is rallying private sector partners to promote agri-businesses through the World Bank-backed P27.5-billion Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).

Arnel de Mesa, PRDP national deputy program director, said in a statement that one of the first projects to be done under the six-year program would be the development of a banana plantation in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

“(Banana grower) Unifrutti is collaborating with (us) for the development of at least 3,000 hectares of banana plantation in the Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces,” De Mesa said.

He said that one of the stumbling blocks related to this project was the poor road network and that the PRDP intended to build a P273.8-million farm-to-market road in the area.

The planned project will include a 12-kilometer road in Marader, Maguindanao, and a 14-km road that will connect the towns of Guingulungan and Lambayao in the same province.

The PRDP is also arranging marketing contracts between the Philippine Calamansi Association Inc. (PCAI), a group of buyers and processors of calamansi fruit products, and farmers in Oriental Mindoro where 75 percent of nationwide supply is grown.

“One of the constraints is the low farmgate price during peak season,” De Mesa said. “With PRDP’s help, farmers are encouraged to form clusters and enter into marketing contracts with PCAI (and) to engage in assembling, transporting, and processing.”

He said that this year, some 200 calamansi farmers were expected to deliver some 8,000 to 30,000 kilos weekly at prices negotiated with PCAI.

In Albay, the PRDP has tied up with Juboken Enterprise, a pioneering producer of geonet or nets made from coco-coir, which the Department of Public Works and Highways will use in bio-engineering to prevent the erosion of mountain slopes.

The PRDP is also partnering with Kennemer Foods International in setting up cacao demonstration farms and nurseries as well as plantations in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Palawan, Southern Leyte and Bohol.