NEW AND VIABLE AGRI-BUSINESS VENTURES IN MINDANAO

If you can notice, in almost all of my articles I always present the vastness and the great growth potential of the Agriculture& Fishery industry in Mindanao. If I remember it right, on my last article I presented the resolutions established by the Mindanao Technical Vocational Education and Training; and one of them is giving more emphasis and focus on developing the Agricultural Tech-Voc.

One of the main reasons why I am fond of sharing with you the agricultural prowess of the Mindanao region is obvious great potential of the industry to pull up our economic status. Mindanao’s climate is better than any other region in our country. We, in Mindanao do not experience typhoons. Another fact is that Mindanao is 474% percent larger than Central Luzon which is has the largest plain in the country and produces most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Bowl of the Philippines". If Mindanao’s Agriculture Industry is well developed, the scarcity of food in our country will be eliminated.

GOAT CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES
Business opportunities continue to grow in Southern Mindanao amid the spillover of the global financial crisis as businessmen continue to diversify and search for new investments. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Southern Mindanao slated a new investment opportunity in Davao del Sur -- goat rising.

Goat raising is now become a niche for enterprising entrepreneurs who want to try a relatively new but viable business ventur. And Davao City, our largest city and home to the majestic Mt. Apo, will soon become the goat capital of Southern Philippines and probably in the whole country.

Goats are very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital investment, fit the small hold farm conditions, and multiply fast. About 10 native goats can be fed on the feedstuffs sufficient for one cattle. And about 6-7 purebred dairy goats can be fed on the feedstuffs adequate for one dairy cow. Although a goat is small, it can produce as much as four liters of milk a day if it is purebred and is given a ration to meet all of her nutritional requirements.

Our neighboring countries in the East Asean Growth Area like Brunei also requires a high volume of goat meat for daily consumption.

If an investor is to engage in sale of breeders, investments include pure or upgraded Nubian, Toggenburg or Boer buck which costs P7,500 – P12,000/head plus native or upgraded does which cost P1,500 – P4,000/head. An investor could sell his produced upgraded breeders at P3,000 – P12,500/head.

For investors who desire to engage in the sale of goat meat, there is a need to invest in one upgrade Boer for every 25 does. Live goat for sale commands a price ranging from P120 – P180/kilo or minimum of P4,500/head.

To raise goat for commercial milk production, pure or upgraded goats of the Anglo Nubian or Saanen breed is recommended as breeder buck. Goat of this breed could produce 0.7 – 2 liters daily in 215 – 250 days of milking.

Goat-raising is highly profitable. With minimal capital investment of P67,250 for 25-doe level; P174,500 for 50-doe level; or P349,000 for 100-doe level, positive net income and return on investment (ROI) are realized, even as early as the first year. The ROI for five year is 67 percent from a 25-doe level operation under semi-confinement scheme and 60 percent from 50-doe and 100-doe level operations under pure confinement system. Payback period is two years.

As goat production requires low initial investment and small risks compared to other livestock, it is therefore an attractive undertaking among resource-poor families.


SEAWEEDS GALORE

Mindanao’s seaweed exports have almost doubled in 2008. From January to October 2008, exports of processed seaweeds reached 5,085 metric tons (MT) valued at US$12.6 million. This is a 92 percent increase in volume and 114 percent increase in value over exports for the same period in 2007

Eucheuma and kappaphycus seaweed varieties, which are grown in the Philippines, are used for the production of carrageenan, a thickening and stabilizing agent used worldwide in many processed foods and in products such as toothpaste, shampoo, paints, and pharmaceuticals.

Marine products of the many species of seaweed, the most commonly developed and cultured species in Zamboanga city is the EucheumaCottonii seaweed because of its numerous uses. It enjoys the heaviest demand in the market, both here and abroad. In addition, Eucheuma can be farmed commercially almost anywhere in the city’s coastal areas. Eucheuma seaweed has been commercially introduced in various method of propagation, after extensive experimentation. It was disclosed that eucheuma seaweeds grow faster on reefs than other areas which prove that seaweed farming is viable in this city. When the study of Eucheuma seaweeds propagation was initiated, its technical advancement was transferred to the private sectors, thus making the seaweed industry one of the leading ventures in the country today

The country produces most of the world’s carrageenan in 14 processing plants located in Cebu, Southern Luzon, and Zamboanga. And the top regional supplier of raw materials for these plants is Mindanao, which produces 75 percent of the country’s eucheuma and kappaphycus seaweeds, which mostly come from Zamboanga peninsula and Sulu archipelago.

The country’s processing plants alone need a minimum of 134,000 MT of dried seaweed annually, yet the total Philippine seaweed output decreased from 95,600 MT in 2004 to 74,650 MT in 2007 due to weather conditions. rising energy and transport costs, and other factors.


(JojiIlagan Bian is a strong and respected advocate for the development of the region. She is Chair of JojiIlaganFoundation ( www.jojiilagancareercenter.com) ; President , Phil. Call Centers Alliance and Mindanao Tech Voc Schools Association; Mindanao Rep, Export Development Council. Email comments jojibian2@yahoo.com)