Cotabato farmers to plant rice in Papua New Guinea

KIDAPAWAN CITY – At least 19 farmers from M’lang town in North Cotabato left the country last week to plant rice in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in what Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said was a new agri-business venture, which hopes to resolve food security woes of the two countries.

Piñol said that, under the agreement with the current PNG leadership, a Filipino company will allot 25 hectares as rice demonstration farm located at the Pacific Adventist University where Cotabato farmers are going to be employed.

The secretary expects that per hectare will yield at least 8.6 metric tons of rice.

Based on the Memorandum of Agreement, PNG citizens will be given priority in purchasing what- ever yield that would be produced from the farm.

“The products will be sold to the PNG, and whatever is excess will be shipped or exported to the Philippines,” said Piñol.

Such agri-business venture, according to the secretary, was a first in the PNG. But for the Filipinos, it will not be something new.

“Japan buys banana fruits in the Philippines through a Japaneseowned Sumifru Corporation. The US, through Dole and Del Monte, buys pineapples in our country. The Philippines-PNG agri-business venture is like that,” he explained.

Piñol was hopeful that the venture will help resolve food security issues in the country whose population is growing by 1.7 percent, annually.

“Why are we supporting this? We’re looking forward 10 to 30 years, we’re growing as a country at 1.7 percent per annum, muabot ang panahon nga ang yuta sa Pilipinas, 3.9 million hectares of palay will no longer support our needs,” said the secretary.