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Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Cebuano investors can tap Taiwan’s food need
The Philippines should take advantage of Taiwan’s lack of food by developing agro-processing zones, an economist urged.
“Taiwan already voiced very publicly that agriculture is disappearing in their place,” said Bernardo Villegas of the University of Asia and the Pacific in an economic briefing over the weekend.
Villegas said that Taiwan, being a small territory, has “exploited” the little agriculture land they have, with these having been converted to urban, industrial and commercial states.
Depend
“They (Taiwanese) are going to depend on Southeast Asian countries, especially the Philippines, for their food. That is why they just signed an agreement with the Philippine Government in developing a new approach for export agro- processing zones so we could produce and export food for them,” he added.
Aside from Taiwan, Villegas said a potential market for food export is China, which would need food supply from other countries over the next 10 years.
“The market then becomes unlimited. China is not an agricultural country. Half of it is a desert,” he said.
Villegas said this explains why China is “dumping” cheap goods to the Philippines and other countries–not because they have overflowing supply but because there are still about one billion Chinese who still can’t afford.
“That’s why they have all these surplus. But that one billion people won’t forever be poor. Once that population starts to earn and be able to buy decent food, China will eat the food of the world,” he said.
Challenge
With this, Villegas challenged the local business sector to consider this demand for food and agribusiness.
Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Eric Mendoza, however, said “superior” food processing technology should be considered.
Focus
“We should focus on mass food processing similar to the success of Thailand that has very stable and cheap food supply,” he said in an interview at the briefing.
Investment in post harvest facility would also provide opportunity for foreign investors in the food sector, Villegas said.
There are currently two groups that have responded to this.
“Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte and a group in Cagayan Valley led by former Philippine National Police chief Edgar Aglipay will develop an agro processing zone. They have the advantage of proximity to Taiwan,” he said. (ALC)
(December 14, 2005 issue)
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