Press Release
May 2, 2007

ANGARA BATS FOR AGRI ECO ZONE IN MINDANAO

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that the planned special agricultural economic zones should take advantage of the awesome natural endowments of Mindanao, which can host hog and livestock production and processing in a foot-and-mouth disease free environment and intensified crop production in a typhoon-free region.

There is no region as strategically positioned for this other than Mindanao, which is FMD-free and typhoon-free. These are endowments with a commercial value worth billions of pesos, said Angara.

Angara said that the establishment of hog and livestock production and processing centers in Mindanao will inevitably lead to the transformation of Mindanao as an export base for canned and processed meat products, products with real value added.

He said that the FMD-free status of Mindanao will make the products acceptable and competitive in the global market as there are very few countries in Asia that can be truly declared as FMD-free.

What will further boost hog, livestock and poultry production in Mindanao is the availability of yellow corn, which makes up 50 to 60 per cent of animal feed ingredients, said Angara.

Angara said that the relocation of the operations of some of the biggest poultry integrators from Luzon to Mindanao was prompted by the availability of yellow corn in Mindanao.

All things fit. Mindanao is FMD-free, there is yellow corn for year-round feed production and there is land available for the purpose, said Angara.

The national government is considering the setting up of agriculture-oriented economic zones, which will operate along the lines of special economic zones.

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry have broached the idea of setting these zones to President Arroyo, who supported the idea, according to news reports.

Incentives will be given to these agri zones, said the two agencies, which will draft the guidelines for the setting up to the agri-oriented economic zones.

Angara has been batting for the maximum utilization of idle but arable lands in Mindanao, adding that special agro-fishery zones can be set up in these areas.

He also proposed the construction of a rail network to link the different provinces of the region.

During his term as agriculture secretary, Angara has crafted several area-integrated development projects, most of which are ongoing and receiving big support from the Arroyo administration.

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