S. KOREAN FARM EQPT FIRMS
ESTABLISH ASSEMBLY PLANT
By Manny Piñol
At least 30 South Korean farm machinery manufacturing companies will establish their assembly facilities to produce tractors, harvesters, planters and accessories in the Philippines next year.
Shin-gil Kim, President of the Korean Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO), said the assembly plant will be located in 50-hectare area tentatively in Malvar town.
Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas will be meeting with officials of the Department of Agriculture and KAMICO representatives to finalize the location of the plant.
Kim said a portion of the 50-hectare area will be used as a demonstration farm which would use the locally assembled farm equipment and machinery.
KAMICO will also establish a Research and Development Center and a Training Center for farmers and equipment operators.
The assembly plant is expected to be operational by late 2019 and will later be converted into a manufacturing facility.
It is expected to generate employment for young mechanical engineers and other skilled workers.
“Our intention is to manufacture the machinery and equipment here,” Kim said.
He said the 30 companies decided to establish their assembly and manufacturing facilities in the Philippines in view of the aggressive mechanisation program of the government.
“We will manufacture machinery and equipment designed for Philippine farms,” he said.
Kim signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the DA today for the establishment and operation of the Demo Farm and Training Center which will upgrade the technical skills of Filipino farmers.
Kim said the number of companies which will locate their assembly and manufacturing facilities in the Philippines could reach 50 by 2020.
The DA started its engagement with KAMICO in June 2018 when about 100 executives of farm equipment and machinery firms held their convention in Mactan, Cebu.
During the Convention, I invited the companies to relocate in the Philippines to cash in on the farm mechanisation program of the government.
(Photos by Mayette Tudlas)
More Stories
After A Learning Tour,
Former NPA Area Pilots Village Nursery, Free-Range Chicken Breeding & Goat Upgrading Program!
‘Toro Sa Barangay’ Goat Upgrading Program Starts In Luz Village, Mlang!