BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. is pushing for more production of high-value crops (HVC) given its growing market potential amid the challenges faced by the sugar industry.
Speaking at the 1st Food Production Heroes Assembly dubbed “Baganihan sa Kaumahan” at the provincial Capitol Social Hall Wednesday, Marañon urged farmers to diversify, if not totally convert, their farms mainly through growing more HVC.
“There is minimal income with sugarcane especially if farmers only have a one-hectare farm. The chance to recover their huge production cost is too small,” he said
Negros Occidental is considered the Philippines’ sugar bowl, producing about 60 percent of the country’s sugar output, but in recent years the industry has faced challenges like lack of labor, competition brought by the high fructose corn syrup, low prices of sugar, reduction in demand for sweeteners, among others.
The governor said that with HVCs, “the cost of production is low but the income is high.”
Among the crops the governor cited to have potential markets include ginger, banana, jackfruit, cacao, coffee, and various root crops like sweet potato and yam.
He said the country is currently importing most of these HVCs, like yam and jackfruit, from Thailand.
“There is a shortage in supply of ginger. The consumption for chocolate is also increasing thus, farmers growing these products are assured of available market,” Marañon said.
The provincial government had earlier sent an agriculturist to Davao to train on coffee and cacao production, who will now teach farmers in the upland areas of the province.
The governor also expressed optimism that with right technologies, the province will be able to produce more HVC through the organic farming system to further increase profitability of local farmers.
“Let us help each other,” Marañon said, as he assured farmers of the province’s support through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
During the assembly, the provincial government recognized 91 individual and farmer groups who have excelled and contributed to the growing agriculture industry of Negros Occidental. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
