BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental will craft a five-year agricultural road map amid the challenges faced by the sugar industry.
The development plan will be created in today’s Negros First Transformative Agriculture Summit at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Themed “Redefining Negros Rural Landscape,” the one-day summit will be attended by provincial government officials led by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., city and town mayors, business and other private sector organizations, planters, and farmers, among others.
“We are not certain of the future of the sugar industry. [With the road map], at least sugar planters will have the option as to what crops they can adopt and divert to,” said Japhet Masculino, head of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
Negros Occidental is considered the Philippines’ sugar capital, producing about 60 percent of the country’s sugar output.
The recent proposal of Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno to deregulate the importation of sugar has been opposed by local sugar industry leaders, producers and small farmers, saying it would lead to industry collapse.
The activities during the summit will include discussions on industry situations and breakout sessions, where participants will list down suggestions on how to develop various agricultural sectors.
Masculino said the OPA already identified four major sectors in Negros Occidental such as crops, livestock, fisheries, and non-forest products.
Under crops, identified specific commodities are rice, corn, sweet potato, banana, coffee, and cacao.
“The result of the breakout sessions will be used as basis in coming up with our agriculture development plan,” Masculino said. (With PNA/PN)
