LIST OF AGRIBUSINESS
INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN REGION 8
1. Jackfruit Production
Jackfruit production in Region 8 is
growing in terms of hectarage, but yield per tree per unit time
remains very low. Due to the increase in population and export
demand, there is a need for area expansion (commercial scale)
to boost production and for commercialization to be sustainable.
Mass propagation of quality planting materials is being undertaken
and the jackfruit processing laboratory based at RIARC has focused
its activities on evolving technologies to maximize the utilization
of jackfruit and its by-products.
An aggregate of 250 hectares jackfruit plantations/orchards
were established through the Plant Now Pay Later Scheme (PNPL)
by five (5) farmers' organizations in the different parts of the
region.
2. Mango Production
Prospects of the mango industry could be
promising in the region. The large demand for mango, both at the
foreign and local markets, has triggered many fruit growers to
engaged in mango production. In Eastern Visayas, an estimated
area of 150 - 180 hectares is now planted to mango with Leyte
as the major producing province.
Financial capital and the lack of certified planting materials
are some of the major problems of the industry. However, some
measures have been undertaken to improve the situation. The bright
future of the industry in the region has welcomed financial lending
institutions. The advent of networking will provide accessible
information on the accredited sources of the plant materials.
As regards to technical requirements, the Department of Agriculture
has the pool of experts in mango production.
3. Coffee Production
This is a profitable enterprise, considering
the uprising consumption of coffee and other special coffee brews
both in local and foreign markets. Coffee production trends however,
showed a slowdown, causing some of our processors to import coffee
beans. In region 8, coffee production is very promising. The climate
is favorable to the plants there is much labor force and the ready
market assures the absorption of all coffee beans produced. Recently,
technical support to improve production has been provided by the
Department of Agriculture and support of financial institutions
has been solicited.
4. Vegetable Production Project
High value vegetables crop
production poses great challenges to prospective investors in
the region. Local production of these crops is far below to saturate
the demand. It has been noted that vegetable commodities like
carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, sweet pepper,
Chinese pechay, Baguio beans and others, come from areas outside
the region like Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. Hence, there is a good
potential to invest in vegetables production considering the region's
climate and the products demand.
5. Yellow Corn Production
Yellow corn production exudes a very
bright prospect in the region considering the flourishing livestock
and poultry which will largely absorb the yellow corn grains for
the processing of mixed feeds. Recently, yellow corn has been
gaining acceptance to our local farmers. Eight (8) farm clusters
with an aggregate area of 400 hectares per cluster has organized
themselves to venture into commercialized corn production.
6. Hybrid Rice Production
Rice being the staple food accounts
the region's ever produced crop. Despite the large hectarage devoted
to its production, it was noted that yield is still below the
per capita consumption, prompting authorities to import this from
other regions. With the objective to obtain self-sufficiency in
this staple crop within the framework of national and household
food security and competitive advantage, usage of hybrid rice
seeds could boost production performance.
7. Cutflower Production
At present local producers cannot satisfy
the local market and oftenly flowers are imported to the region
during special occasions. This is quite an irony considering the
presence of the favorable climate, technical know-how and much
labor resource to be utilized in this venture.
8. Coco Coir Twines, Plant Liners,Geotextile, Coconut Fiberboards
& Coco Peat Production
The region is predominantly planted with coconut trees at the
hillsides and in some of its flatlands. After producing copra,
waste materials such as coco husks, coco shells, fronds, spathes,
wood and others are merely utilized as firewood and charcoal,
but mostly these are left to rott in the fields. The processing
of these indigenous waste materials into high value coco coir
products such as coco twines, coconut fiberboards, plant liners,
geotextiles and cocopeat poses a great potential, in Region 8
considering the abundant supply. Currently, while these products
have a great demand both in the local and foreign markets, local
production trend seems to lag behind.
9. Large Ruminant Production
- Carabao Production
Carabao is still the most common source
and method of traction in the rural areas. Be it in the lowland
or upland farms, farmers depend on carabao for tillage. The carabao
population in Region 8 has drastically reduced during the epidemic
in the middle 90s. Investing in the production of carabao
on a commercial level has not been very attractive due to the
animal's long gestation period. Yet the need for the animal as
source of traction, meat, milk and other by-products are opportunities
that could not just be ignored.
The price of ready to breed animals ranges from P12,000.00
to P14,000.00 per head. Compared to other livestock, raising
carabao incurs very little feed cost as it thrives on forages
and other grasses abundant in the region. Possession of a carabao
in the rural areas is an insurance that somehow a farmer can
do something in his farm. Owning a carabao is a need for survival.
Hence, the demand of the animal cannot be overemphasized.
On the technical requirements, the tie up of the Philippine
Carabao Center at LSU, ViSCA and DA RFU 8s Carabao Breeding
Center in Gandara, Samar has resulted in the improvements of
existing stocks and the provision of technical information to
would be raisers.
- Cattle Production Beef are priced higher than other meat.
Cattle are slaughtered daily and sold in the Tacloban market.
Most of the stocks for slaughter come from Masbate. The rest
are sourced from the western part of Leyte where existing cattle
ranches are found. The existing supply cannot cope with the demand.
Raising cattle will also incur very little feed cost as it thrive
mainly on forages and grasses. Region VIII has a Beef Cattle
Center located in Sogod So. Leyte where information and technical
assistance on beef cattle production can be obtained.
10. Small Ruminants Production
- Goat Production
Goat raising in Region VIII is a potential
enterprise due to the presence of bio-physical factors suitable
for its sustainable production. Most of the uncultivated areas
in the region have slightly rolling and undulating topography
where native grasses grow. These can be cultivated and planted
with improved pasture grasses for grazing of ruminants. Most
areas under coconut trees in the region are ideal for goat production.
On the technical aspect, the Malitbog Goat Center has been the
venue for training and the source of technical information and
assistance on goat production. The Department of Agriculture
through its Regional Goat Center has recently been introducing
the Boer goats which created positive responses from farmers.
- Sheep Production
Compared to goat raising, sheep production
in Eastern Visayas is relatively new, yet it is becoming popular
and thriving. Integrating the raising of sheep into the farmers
farming system can provide better economic returns in terms of
sales of animals and its products aside from increasing crop
yield. The success of raising sheep is inherently well-suited
to the capabilities of small-hold farmers and the prevailing
farm conditions. The region has typical areas suited for sheep
production: under coconut where herbage growth is moderate to
supply the feed requirement of the animals; grassland areas whose
topography ranged from plain to slightly rolling and populated
with native vegetation; and agro-forestry areas where reforestation
activities are conducted and livestock production is a component
for livelihood support. Region VIII has a regional center for
sheep located in Caray-caray, San Miguel, Leyte where information
and technical assistance on sheep production can be made available
to interested sheep raisers.
- Swine production
Swine production is still the most popular
livelihood enterprise among farmers in Region VIII. It is not
uncommon to find 4-6 head of swine for fattening or a 1-2 sow
level among backyard raisers. Yet the local supply cannot satisfy
the demand as evidenced by the entry of hogs, from as far as
Gen. Santos and Davao in the south and Masbate in the north.
There are existing feedmills in the region which cater to local
feed needs. Commercial feeds are likewise available, as there
are feed dealers located throughout the provinces in the islands
of Samar, Leyte and Biliran. At present there are commercial
swine establishments that can provide the stocking needs of semi-commercial
and backyard raisers. What makes the region more attractive to
swine investors is that it has been declared as an FMD free area.
- Native Chicken Range Production
Pure Native Chicken Range Production
This is promising in rural areas where farms are located distantly
from barangay settlements. Native chickens roam freely and are
able to supplement their diet by eating grain wastes and other
available feed materials. There are great demand for native chicken
from restaurants along the Maharlika Highway and even in eateries
at various town centers of the region where "tinolang manok"
is almost always asked by patrons for viand.
Range Production of other Chicken Breed
Free range chicken is the in thing for poultry raisers these
days. In Region VIII, Kabir and Sasso chickens are already raised
in limited heads. These breeds of chicken are ideal for range
production. Its advantage over the native chicken is that it grows
more at a relatively lesser time. Also the eggs produce are bigger
than the native chicken. It thrives well on local condition and
can survive by eating farm grain wastes and foraging around. It
is also more resistant to diseases compared with the commercial
breeds of poultry.

|