A GOVERNMENT official said there is a need to create more agro-economic zones in Mindanao to sustain the Davao-Gensan-Bitung Roro Route.
“We must fortify our agro-economic zone, and identify primary commodities needed in the market where the routes are,” Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) public relations head Adrian Tamayo said in a media forum.
Tamayo added by doing so, both Mindanao and Bitung in Indonesia will have a more sustainable agricultural trade that will help make farmers in both areas become more productive.
Tamayo said Mindanao and Bitung must come up with a plan on what products to trade in order to meet the market demand and to make the Roro route efficiently.
Tamayo said due to the low load trade of the Davao-Gensan-Bitung Roro, its operations have been suspended.
On April 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo themselves launched the Davao-Gensan-Bitung route, which was served by the Super Shuttle Roro 12 with a capacity of 500 20-foot equivalent (TEU). The route was expected to trade agricultural, manufacturing, and food and beverage products to and from Indonesia from Gensan and Davao ports. The huge vessel required a lot of cargo and was not sustained. It only sailed once after the launching.
Tamayo also said the strengthening of Halal council in Mindanao can also help entice more product exchanges between Mindanao and Indonesia.