Raising farmers' productivity is way out of agriculture doldrums

The country’s progressive farmers and corporate farms have high productivity and their products could compete with imports. Despite food exports totaling $5.1 billion, the Philippines still incurred a $5.9 billion trade deficit, thus earning the dubious distinction of being the only country with a net food deficit country among the original five ASEAN member countries.

Dr. Emil Javier, National Scientist and currently Chairman of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines, Inc. (CAMP), painted this somber picture in a recent webinar among agriculture and agribusiness stakeholders.

Danilo Fausto, president of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), pointed out that poor agricultural production was mainly due to the big drop in livestock and poultry production due to the African Swine Flu outbreak.

He also deplored that despite contributing 10 percent to total gross domestic product (GDP), the P66.4-billion budget for agriculture accounts for a measly 1.5 percent of the P4.506 trillion national budget. There is an apparent policy bias for consumption and a lack of emphasis on production programs that would boost food security.