By Manny Pinol
Three decades after the Don Bosco Foundation based in Makilala, North Cotabato started a pioneering effort to convince several health conscious rice farmers to use natural farming methods, organic rice produced in M’lang, Tulunan, Pres. Roxas, Matalam, Midsayap and Kidapawan City is now sold in six foreign markets.
Black, brown and white organic rice, 90 per cent of which is produced by M’lang farmers who belong to the Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative, could now be found in high-end stores in Dubai, Hongkong, Macau, Germany and Canada.
Sold through the marketing arm Bio Dynamis, the organic rice of North Cotabato will soon be exported to the Netherlands too where Don Bosco has made an initial delivery.
But the success of Don Bosco’s largely solitary struggle to promote organic rice farming is an inspiring story of dogged perseverance and determination could open windows of opportunity for the Filipino farmer.
Ignored by most agricultural agencies of the government for so many years who considered organic rice farming as a misguided program adversely affecting massive commercial rice production, Don Bosco continued its quixotic effort with the support of grants from the Austrian Government, financial contributions from the Austrian Catholic Youth Group and lately, the European Union.
After a successful initial export to Dubai, Don Bosco finally earned the notice of the Department of Agriculture under Secretary Proceso Alcala, one of the stalwarts of organic farming in Congress when he was still representative from Quezon Province.
Last year, the government rode on the organic rice farming venture started by Don Bosco and assisted in facilitating the export of organic rice to Hongkong.
The government made a big story out of the export of about 15 tons of organic rice by including it in the State of the Nation Address of President Noynoy Aquino this year.
Conveniently glossing over the 30-year effort of Don Bosco to promote rice farming before it was able to gain a niche in the foreign market, the Department of Agriculture basked in the glory of the organic rice exportation.
Billboards proudly proclaiming that the Philippines is a “Proud Rice Exporter” immediately sprouted in front of government agricultural facilities.
But the pioneering organic rice farmers and Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the only organic farming group in the Philippines accredited by the international organic farming association, are not affected at all.
In fact, they are glad that the struggle for recognition and government support has finally paid off.
Nono Laurilla, head of the Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative and a native of M’lang, said their big markets now are Hongkong, Macau and Dubai.
“We have also made initial shipments to Canada and Germany and a trial marketing in the Netherlands,” Laurilla told me yesterday.
The volume is not big yet with the largest shipment ever made at 15 tons but the foreign market is very promising, said Laurilla.
And the price is two times higher than the prevailing market price for commercial rice.
“It’s P100 per kilo vacuum packed FOB Davao,” he said.
With the world’s consumers growing and getting more health conscious, the organic rice of North Cotabato will certainly become a big hit in the foreign markets.
Thailand may have dominated the foreign rice market with their aromatic Jasmine Rice, which is actually an improved variety of the Philippines’ indigenous Mariposa rice, but the Philippines could carve its own specialty market with the black, brown and white organic rice.
(Photo caption: My son, Imman, and I share breakfast in the farm with adobong native chicken, alogbate with mongo and dried fish, and the famous M’lang organic black rice. Photo by Joey Razonable)
More Stories
Kapehan With Pareng Gob
Bignay Wine, Vinegar Maker: Ito Dapat Bigyan Ng Ayuda!
OFW’s Feeding Technology Could Boost Cattle, Goat Farming!