Philippine organisations call for investments

In a joint position paper submitted to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, the
United Broiler Raisers’ Association and National Egg Board explained that “with
the rise of China, India and Russia, there has been an upward trend in the
prices of commodities, both agricultural and industrial.”

The
organisation consider these developments as a threat, because it increases the
costs of feed inputs like soybeans, amino acids, choline, toxin binders and
other feed additives.

However it also sees the current situation as an
opportunity because the prices of competing chicken products have also been
rising.

For such trends to become an opportunity for Philippine poultry
industry there must be greater investments in agriculture, the position paper
said.

Another necessity is also to extend the Agricultural
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF), which is to expire at the end of the
year.

War chest
“The ACEF can be an additional war chest for
the Agriculture secretary to target specific provinces or regions that could
give the nation fastest and highest returns in terms of additional production,”
the paper said.

The ACEF can be tapped for irrigation, farm-to-market
roads, post-harvest equipment and research and development, it
added.