High-value crops sector seen to surpass growth targets

The high-value commercial crops sector (HVCCs) is expected to hit or even surpass its growth targets this year despite the prolonged dry spell, if timely and adequate intervention measures are done, according to Department of Agriculture.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Dr. Rodel Maghirang, national program coordinator of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA)-HVCC program, said that even in a worst-case scenario of a dry spell lasting until December, high-value crops like bananas, mangoes, and vegetables could still surpass their expansion targets for 2007.

Sustained or even higher growth could happen, Maghirang said, if proper measures are put in place to ease the adverse effects of the dry spell. Pineapples, rubber and coffee would also maintain their growth targets for the year even under a prolonged dry spell, he added.

For bananas, the GMA-HVCC program is targeting a 7.99 percent growth to a total production of 7.345 million metric tons in 2007 from 6.801 million MT last year.

Under a worst-case drought scenario, the growth target will contract to 2.66 percent or 6.982 million MT without any interventions. But the industry will surpass its target with a projected output of 7.374 million MT or 8.42 percent growth if measures are put in place.

Maghirang said the intervention measures include a fund support amounting to P150 million; integration of the cardava supply of bananas for Metro Manila; the construction and repair of additional farm-to-market roads and irrigation facilities; new training for growers; organic fertilization in small farms; and setting up of packing houses to reduce post-harvest losses.

Mango production, on the other hand, is projected to grow 7.10 percent this year to 984,135 MT from 918,877 MT in 2006, but its expansion rate would shoot up to 12.49 percent to 1.033 million MT with proper interventions in place, Maghirang said.

Under a worst-case scenario, without any interventions, mango production would still maintain its projected growth in 2007, Maghirang assured.

To surpass growth targets for mangoes, he said the GMA-HVCC program would need additional funding of P19.8 million to boost off-season production in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Western Visayas, and to train growers on good agricultural practices, bagging, processing and phytosanitary measures and protocols required in export markets like the United States and China.

 For pineapples, Maghirang said, the DA is projecting production to reach 1.925 million MT in 2007, up by five percent from 1.834 million MT in 2006 and would be able to maintain this production target if interventions are carried out.

The growth target for pineapples, Maghirang said, would drop to 3.49 percent to 1.897 million MT without intervention.

Measures to boost pineapple production include additional funding of P6.9 million for training for growers; organic fertilization of farms; market linkages between production areas and trading centers; packing houses and farm-to-market roads, Maghirang said.

For vegetables, Maghirang said, the growth target of 5.16 percent to 1.129 million MT from 1.074 million MT in 2006 would rise to 7.63 percent or 1.156 million MT if interventions are put in place during the dry spell.