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he Covid-19 pandemic has exposed our vulnerability as a food-importing country. It also reminded us about the importance of the agriculture sector not only to ensure sufficient food supply for the country, but also to help keep our citizens healthy amid our fight against an invisible enemy.
In recent months, virgin coconut oil from the so-called tree of life has been getting positive reviews for its anti-viral properties. Local researchers found that VCO from fresh coconut meat has shown positive results in managing and preventing Covid-19.
The latest Philippine crop that attracted the world’s attention is abaca, or Manila hemp (See, “Makers of face masks, protective gear seen using more PHL abaca this year,” in the BusinessMirror, August 4, 2020). The abaca, a relative of the banana tree, could replace plastic in millions of face masks and hospital gowns. Unlike the non-biodegradable plastic that remains in the environment for years, the abaca would decompose in two months, making it easier for the government to manage hospital waste.
Prior to the pandemic, these two sturdy crops are major sources of export dollars for the Philippines. For coconut alone, the United Coconut Associations of the Philippines pegged export earnings from coconut-based products at $2 billion annually. As for abaca, local traders earn some $100 million annually from shipments to other countries, including Japan and Great Britain, according to data from the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida).
Coconut oil is the top farm export of the Philippines, but the country also sells other coconut-based products—coco shell charcoal, desiccated coconut, oleochemicals, copra meal, coconut water, and fresh coconuts. Some 3.5 million farmers that are tilling about 3 million hectares rely on the coconut sector for their livelihood. As for the abaca, PhilFida said the crop is cultivated in about 176,549 hectares of farmlands by over 122,758 farmers.
The Department of Trade and Industry noted that apart from coconut and abaca, the Philippines grows other crops that can be used for making medicines (See, “DTI pitches PHL as India’s regional drug production hub,” in the BusinessMirror, August 10, 2020). These include malunggay (moringa) and yellow ginger that are now being used in pharmaceuticals. The DTI said this makes the country an ideal site for factories that will manufacture medicines that would make use of natural ingredients as raw materials.
Businessmen should consider the many opportunities presented by the local agriculture sector while global trade is at a standstill due to the pandemic. In abaca alone, the Department of Agriculture said there are opportunities in the production of tea bags, sausage casing and fiber-reinforced construction materials that make use of abaca fiber. The agri-aqua industrial business corridors that the government will put up present other possible areas that investors could explore if they are keen on going into agribusiness (See, “Dar to businessmen: Mine big opportunities for agri investors,” in the BusinessMirror, August 11, 2020).
Pandemic or no pandemic, Filipinos will need food. The emergence of more diseases has also made it imperative for us to explore other possible uses for crops that are endemic to the country. We must heed the warning of experts and prepare as early as now for diseases that could be as damaging as the Covid-19 pandemic.