AGRILINK 2018 ZEROES IN ON THE HOG SECTOR
ONCE AGAIN the much-awaited Agrilink trade show is here. This will be the 25th edition of the trade show that has become the biggest event of its kind in the country. Based on statements of the organizers, attendees will be able to see a lot of novel products, services and technological innovations in agribusiness.
Antonio V. Roces, president of the Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FRLD), stated that the theme of this year’s trade show will highlight the importance of sustaining the country’s agricultural growth, especially in the hog sector, by improving the supply and value chain through organized and professionalized production systems and marketing processes.
Roces said that the livestock sector in the Philippines is vibrant. Figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority reveal that from January to March 2018, it expanded by 15.46 percent in gross production value compared to the previous quarter. The total gross earnings for this period is R75.5 billion at current prices. The hog industry is the biggest contributor to the agricultural growth, posting over 16 percent increase in gross earnings, owing to growth in production and price.
Indeed, the farm-to-fork chain begins with inputs to the hog raisers and travels along the entire production and marketing routes. From breeders to fatteners, or from operators to processors, it ends with the consumers who purchase pork and its value-added products. Throughout this journey, a competitive and efficient value chain is needed to ensure that safe and quality products reach the consumers.
“The livestock industry can further tap growth opportunities by sustaining improvements in the production system and in a costeffective supply chain. This can be complemented by enhancing the technologies in production infrastructures, improving our research and development capabilities, and providing more farm extension services,” according to Roces.
“From January to July 2017, swine population was at 12.52 million head while hog production was at 1,087 metric tons, and more than 17% of these were distributed in the Central Luzon region,” added Edwin Chen, president of Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (ProPork) and chairman of Agrilink 2018. Many of the successes of swine farmers in the region owe to investments that improved production and processing capacities, including the establishment of sire and dam line nucleus facilities. Other key investments include feed mills, housing equipment, waste management and animal health inputs, slaughterhouses, cutting floor and processing facilities, as well as meat shops.
“Backyard pig farmers still play an important role—in fact,