THE Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) in Central Luzon hosted the National Cassava Stakeholders Consultative Meeting in Lubao town over the weekend.
The event was held from May 16 to 20, 2022 at Hacienda Gracia Hotel led DA-RFO-Central Luzon Corn Program coordinator Adela Peñalba. The meeting was conducted and spearheaded by the National Corn Program Director Milo D. Delos Reyes and officials from the National Corn Program.
The event was attended by Corn Program coordinators and Cassava focal persons of all regions, representatives from Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and PhilRootcrops.
Also present during the meeting were different stakeholders including cassava growers around the country and representatives from San Miguel Foods Inc., Santeh Feeds Corporation and Matling Industrial and Commercial Corporation.
The said meeting aimed to update stakeholders on the status and direction of the cassava industry, determine the demand and gather inputs for the updating of the cassava industry roadmap and identify and address issues and concerns on production, processing, and marketing of cassava in the country.
As the host region, DA-RFO-Central Luzon Regional Technical Director Eduardo L. Lapuz Jr. opened the activity and welcomed the guests and participants on behalf of Regional Executive Director Crispulo Bautista Jr.
“Ang aktibidad na ito ay napakalaki ang magiging kontribusyon sa cassava industry. Alam naman po natin na dahil sa mga kinakaharap na challenges ng sector ng agrikultura, ang Covid, ASF (African Swine Fever), ang pagtaas ng presyo ng fertilizer at ang giyera sa Ukraine, nagdulot ito ng pagtaas sa presyo ng animal feeds. Kaya naman malaki ang maitutulong ng pagpupulong na ito upang kahit papaano ay maibaba ang presyo ng feeds,” Lapuz said.