New Agri Industry? Soybeans A Favored Crop Under Marcos Presidency

Soybeans, the most important component in the production of poultry, aqua and livestock feeds which had not been given enough focus and attention in the past, may finally earn a Most Favored Crop Status under the Marcos Jr. Presidency.
Ten years ago, a proposal to establish the Philippine Soybeans Authority was submitted in the Upper Chamber of the Philippine Congress as Senate Bill 409 or the proposed Philippine Soybean Authority Act of 2013 whose Main Author was then Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
A decade after it was introduced in the Senate, however, nothing was ever heard of the Philippine Soybeans Authority Act of 2013 as it was shelved along with many other pro-Agriculture Reform measures.
There are several reasons why the Philippine Soybeans Authority Act of 2013 did not pass into law, two of which could be:
1. There was not enough Soybeans Production, thus very little number of farmers for it to be considered as a politically profitable sector;
2. Importers brought in P5.6-B worth of Soybeans and Soybean Products every year making it big and profitable business. This could be threatened when Filipino farmers start producing Soybeans.
So, the big business involved in Soybeans importation peddled the yarn that it is difficult to grow Soybeans in the Philippines.
Today, however, Soybeans farmers, a small and fledgling group mainly concentrated in the Provinces of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur and now North Cotabato, specifically in the towns of Mlang and Alamada, see a ray of hope that the long neglected and ignored crop will now be given a “Most Favored Crop” Status by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who is concurrently the Agriculture Secretary.
As the most prominent Soybeans farmer now, modesty aside, I had been getting a lot of feelers from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showing interest in the things that I am doing in Alamada and Mlang.
The DA has been monitoring the Soybeans Project which I am undertaking, along with Sorghum which is spearheaded by a small company, Southseas Agri-Aqua Ventures, inc. which I, Sen. Ping Lacson and several friends formed early this year.
In the Caraga Region, DA Regional Director Ricardo “Bong” Oñate is gathering all available seeds for an expansion program later this year.
Here in North Cotabato, I expect to cover about 50 hectares for Soybeans Seed Production due for harvest August to September this year.
By the First Quarter of 2024, we are expecting to produce seeds to cover at least 4,000-hectares after which the expansion could be massive.
This early, I am initiating the organization of Soybeans and Sorghum Farmers into a cooperative to be able to access financing for the expansion program next year.
As the main mover of the Soybeans Program in North Cotabato now, I can proudly say that we do not ask for dole-outs from government, the DA specifically.
Right now, all of our efforts are results of “Sailing Sikap” without any support from government and we do not expect much.
Dalawang bagay lang:
1. Bilisan lang ng mga banko ng gobyerno, tulad ng Development Bank of the Philippines at Land Bank of the Philippines ang pag-release ng mga loans para hindi maantala ang expansion;
2. Makipag-ugnayan ang DA sa itatayong Soybeans Farmers Cooperative upang makapagpatayo ng pasilidad to process Soybeans into Full-Fat Soya and Soybean Meal na kailangan ng mga feed producers.
With this support, President Marcos Jr.’s dream of seeing the birth of the Philippine Soybeans Industry will be realized well within the first three years of his Presidency.
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!