DTI readies roadmaps for F&B industry growth

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it would soon complete roadmaps targeted to bolster the country’s processed foods and beverage industry.

In a statement, the DTI said industry roadmaps for processed food industry sub-sectors such as carrageenan, processed shrimps and dried mangoes are set to be completed soon by the Board of Investments (BOI) with the last leg of the industry roadmap workshops concluding this month.

 “Cebu City was chosen as the venue for the workshops on carrageenan, processed shrimp and processed mangoes given its strategic proximity as most of the major industry players and manufacturers are based in this area.  Davao City meanwhile was chosen for the cacao sector as the whole Davao region accounts for about 80 percent of production of cacao tablea. At least 40 participants from each sector are expected to attend from respective industry associations and major manufacturers,” BOI director for resource-based industries service Nestor Arcansalin said.

Arcansalin said the workshops are necessary to validate the data contained in the preliminary industry roadmap drafts presented last July 2015.

He said important components of the sub-sector roadmaps such as strategy setting, target planning, action program identification, as well as implementation and monitoring would be discussed, validated and finalized during the workshops.

“Separate workshops will have to be conducted as it is deemed important to further consult the respective stakeholders, knowing that each sector is different and at varying stages of maturity as an industry,” Arcansalin said.

A roadmap for the condiments and sauces industry was already completed and finalized in September this year.

The DTI said it is fully supporting the processed foods and beverage industry to be more globally competitive given the industry’s huge contribution in the country’s economy.

“Through BOI’s Industry Roadmapping Project, a roadmap for the industry is being crafted to chart the direction, goals and strategies the industry will be heading to sustain development and growth,” Arcansalin said.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the DTI said food manufactures and beverage industries comprised almost half of the total manufacturing gross value added in the country last year.

Processed foods and non-alcoholic beverage exports are estimated to have reached $2.4 billion in 2014, which is around five percent of the country’s total merchandise exports of $61.81 billion.

Likewise, processed foods and non-alcoholic beverage exports grew at an average rate of 14.5 percent in 2006 to 2014, the DTI reported.