Agriculture
From The Report: Philippines 2014
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Belied by its relatively modest contribution to the overall economy, the Philippine agriculture sector remains a key component in the social and economic development of the country; more than 24.53m Filipinos work in the sector, making it economically and politically vital. Taken together, agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing expanded by 2.92% in 2012, up slightly from 2.59% in 2011. At current prices, the value of agriculture production reached $33bn in 2012. Recent efforts by the government to increase efficiency and productivity within the industry should help boost profitability in the sector. Further, once in place, business-friendly policies and enhanced infrastructure should provide an attractive market for investors looking to harness the sector’s untapped potential.
This chapter contains interviews with Virgilio de los Reyes, Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform; and John Martin Miller, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé Philippines.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Seeds of change: Already central to the national economy, new developments target export growth
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Belied by its relatively modest contribution to the overall economy, the Philippine agricultural sector remains a key component in the social and economic development of the country –more than 24.53m Filipinos work in the sector, making it both economically and politically vital. The industry also plays a key strategic role, with the government committed to its domestic food security programmes. The sector has the potential to be a strong contributor to the national economy, particularly in…

Analysis

Capacity building: Boosting yields through science
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Buffered by cycles of droughts, flooding and typhoons, the ominous threat of regional or even global food shortages has led the Philippines to map out domestic food security plans to protect its citizens from these uncertainties. While a number of different strategies are employed to achieve greater food security, such as reduced wastage, market protection measures and a diversification of food consumption, the primary tactic is an increase in domestic production of the country’s number one…

Analysis

Covering crops: The recovery from Typhoon Pablo puts a focus on insurance
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When Typhoon Pablo hit the Philippines’ southernmost island of Mindanao in December 2012, it was a stark reminder of the havoc that unforeseen weather phenomena can cause to agriculture. According to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reports, the typhoon caused an estimated P26.53bn ($639m) worth of damage in the sector, along with infrastructure damage of P7.57bn ($182.4m). Mindanao is the country’s top banana-producing region in addition to being a substantial corn…

Interview

OBG talks to Virgilio de los Reyes, Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
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Interview:Virgilio de los Reyes What is holding back land acquisition and distribution? How can this process be facilitated? VIRGILIO DE LOS REYES: Previous administrations focused their efforts on government-owned land or voluntary land transfer, whereas we are now pursuing private agricultural lands subject to compulsory acquisition. In voluntary transfers, there is an agreement between the landowner and the beneficiary where the government does not make any payments. If land is state-owned,…

Interview

Working together: OBG talks to John Martin Miller, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé Philippines
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Interview:John Martin Miller What has been done to modernise the sector and facilitate the development of coffee production? JOHN MARTIN MILLER: As the largest buyer of Robusta coffee in the Philippines, currently purchasing 80% of domestic crop, we are only able to source between 20% to 30% of our needs locally. While in terms of yield, the Philippine coffee bean is very good quality, and the country’s topography generates the right conditions and climate for coffee farming, production…