Not quite exiting yet: Willie Soong pivots from auto to agri

ENCORE Willie Soong has a renewed sense of mission. —MARGAUX SALCEDO

Many of us got to know Willie Soong in the ’90s because of Racks, which he founded. But throughout the decades, the name Willie Soong became synonymous with luxury cars as his company became the official distributor of Ferrari, Jaguar, Land Rover and Maserati to the rich and famous. Around the time of the pandemic, however, he seemed to have thrown in his hat. He even published a book entitled “Knowing When To Exit.”

Indeed, many who have had a career as lengthy as his would probably retire by his age. But retirement has no place in the heart of a man who can. So he has not quite exited yet!

He has simply redirected his energies from automobiles to agriculture.

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Last week, I was introduced to his latest venture: Xanadu. He is introducing a special kind of liquid fertilizer that will hopefully revolutionize farming in the Philippines and help exponentially increase agricultural output.

The goal is to change the mindset of our farmers and effectively make them shift from granular fertilizers to liquid fertilizers. The reasons are noble: to offer an alternative that is environment-friendly, i.e., food-grade, biodegradable and nontoxic to pollinating insects and soil microorganisms; to promote sustainable farming, eliminating the need to apply massive amounts of chemical soil, fertilizers, allowing the soil to regenerate; and to offer healthier food for consumers, ensuring the lower usage of pesticides.

The advantages of Xanadu are worth considering. Because of foliar application, the fertilizer delivers the nutrients directly through the stomata, allowing the plant to rapidly absorb nutrients. Spray distribution gives a more consistent and uniform coverage, allowing all crops to receive the same level of nutrients regardless of location. Eliminating the use of solid fertilizers allows the soil to “breathe” and regenerate.

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The fertilizer can be applied to any crop at all. At the moment, it has already been used by farmers around the country for rice and corn. The testimonials have been encouraging.

Hopefully, the more people catch on to this product, the more output our farmers can have, and the sooner we can achieve the dream of our own agricultural productivity being our source of food security.

Congratulations, Mr. Willie Soong, on your new venture! You see, you cannot exit just yet! The Lord still has a great mission for you. You may just be the one to solve the nation’s agricultural challenges after all!