Thursday, November 13, 2008 Mindanao investment confab to focus on 7 agri products
SEVEN agricultural products will be the focus of discussion during the Mindanao Investment Conference (Min-iCon) to be held in Davao City on November 25-26 at the Marco Polo Hotel.
Small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) are expected to consider the importance of the said conference for their propagation and production.
Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) executive director Ednar Carlos Dayanghirang said by way of promoting featured investment opportunities, they want more SMEs be formed focusing on agri products, namely: Pangasius, seaweeds, coffee, banana, honeybee, rubber production and moringa (malunggay).
Topping the list is the propagation of Pangasius (Cream Dory) to augment the aquaculture production of the region.
Elvin T. Millan, Vitarich marketing associate in Mindanao, said the demand for the fish worldwide is big. "Davao farmers could take advantage of the opportunity."
He said growing the fish, although new in the Philippines, is a major and fast growing industry among neighboring Asian countries like Vietnam.
The market potential is good given its taste, meat texture and many other food applications.
The Vitarich Corp., he said, is already into the business after two years of experimentation as it already acquired the needed technology to grow the fish.
He said they offer business options such as Contract Growing, Contract to Buy, Commercial Growing, Contract Processing and Trading Partner.
Initially, Millan said, they are ready with the fingerlings for dispersal to their prospective growers in General Santos City, Davao City, and Cotabato Province.
He said that for a 200 square meters of pond, it can accommodate about 2,000 fishes with an estimated gross income of P500,000 in five months time with the fish weighing about a kilo or more each.
On the other hand, Dayanghirang said that other than the featured agri products, there would also be presentations on the mechanisms of Carbon Credit Trading, Biofuel Production and various Financing Facilities.
The Min-iCon will be capped with the signing/forging of Mindanao-wide strategic industry alliances and One-on-One Business Matching Session.
Expected to join the conference are 300 participants representing the SMEs, local government units, members of Mindanao Chambers, Government sector and the academe. (PIA)
