Agriculture Business Week

Why are organic products getting the consumers’ nod in Asia and in other parts of the world?

As consumers today are becoming increasingly aware of the issues concerning food safety, there emerges a positive perception of organic and eco-labeled food products which has given rise to an emerging niche market for such products in recent years. Such development is evident in the increasing demand for organically or naturally produced products, for which consumers are willing to pay a premium price.

In the case of aquaculture, the prospects are bright both in the domestic and foreign markets as there has been an increasing trend in production and demand in the past years, says Tarlochan Singh, chief of Malaysia-based INFOFISH Technical Advisory Services at the recent CFC/FAO INFOFISH workshop series on organic aquaculture production and marketing held in Makati.

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Organic rice farming can be a sustainable and profitable undertaking, especially if farmers will integrate growing fish and vegetables. That’s what Armand and Tere Perez-Saniano are trying to show in their Earthkeepers Learning Farm in Brgy. Lalig, Tiaong, Quezon.

Last October, they put up a 5,000-square meter showcase where they grew organic rice together with their favorite vegetables like tomato, eggplant, hot pepper, taro, soya and okra, as well as fish (tilapia and hito).

The half-hectare lot was divided into five rice paddies, separated by dikes that are about a meter wide. Along the dikes surrounding the rice plants in each paddy, they constructed a canal which was stocked with either tilapia or hito. That’s where they stayed when the rice field water ebbed. But if the water was maintained above the ground, the fish roamed the entire field, in the process feeding on the harmful insects that may have been attacking the rice plants. Their feces also served as fertilizer to the rice plants.

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According  to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa),  El Niño, a weather phenomenon characterized by dry spells, may peak in February.   Sunstar Davao (28 december 2009) reported  that Davao City and the provinces of Davao Region have been categorized as moderately vulnerable to the El Niño phenomenon alongside with the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt Province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Romblon, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Samar, Zamboanga Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga Sur, and Bukidnon. The Center for Initiative and Research on Climate Adaptation (Circa) explained that the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (Eenso) is a recurrent ocean-warming and atmospheric disturbance resulting in deficient rainfall or prolonged drought.  This phenomenon is expected to adversely affect crop production.

Drought is a major limiting factor in farming.  Limited moisture suppresses the growth of crops, weakens the resistance  to pests and diseases, affects nutrient utilization and usually decreases the quality and quantity of yield.  Drought can cause damage to cell membranes.  Not all plants develop antioxidant defense systems to cope with  drought such that application of natural plant supplements that enhances resistance to drought maybe necessary during drought.   Cytokinins, a class of phytohormones, function as antioxidants and have been shown to improve drought resistance and exhibit anti-senescence properties  Musgrave,1994. Thimann (1987) noted that cytokinins delay the senescence process probably by maintaining the integrity of the tonoplast membrane.  Tonoplast membrane is the cytoplasmic membrane surrounding the vacuole, separating the vacuolar contents from the cytoplasm in a cell.  As a membrane, it is mainly involved in regulating the movements of ions around the cell, and isolating materials that might be harmful or a threat to the cell (www.biology-online.org/dictionary)

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In the last five years or so, the high price of commercial fertilizer has become one of the major concerns of our farmers. Due to this, many farmers cannot give their plants substantial amount of fertilize: Also, due to the use of these chemical fertilizers, many important soil nutrients were lost, resulting in unhealthy crops.

Here in Ilocos Sur, it has been agreed to avoid using inorganic fertilizer for five years. The reason, says the local government, is to lessen the cost of production and to restore lost soil nutrients.

For this reason, a vermicomposting facility has been set up at the 16-hectare BaRang-ay Demo farm in Labing, San Juan. Called Demo on Vermiculture utilizing Biodegradable Substrate (DVBS), the facility will serve as a model in the production of organic fertilizer.

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Among the many available fertilizers now in the market, liquid seaweed extract belongs to the most beneficial. This is because it is not only a plant food, but it effectively works as a biostimulant and a soil conditioner as well. Yet, many farmers still do not realize it. Although proven valuable as fertilizer, this product is probably the last that most farmers will think of buying when they go to their local Agri-supply store. They do not see the advantage that liquid seaweed fertilizer is not just organic and natural, but that it comes from a sustainable source and its production is done without harming the environment.

In the Philippine market, there are only a handful of registered and proven seaweed extract and most are even imported and thus expensive. VEGEGROW seaweed extract is a proudly Philippine made product that is proven effective yet economical. It is a natural plant food and biostimulant produced from 100% liquid seaweed extracts. It passed through a scientific extraction process that is designed to maximize the derived amount of primary, secondary and trace elements, as well as the naturally occurring plant growth regulators and other beneficial compounds. It is non-fibrous and non-neutralized alkali extracted.

Vegegrow works on a wide variety of crops and is compatible with other inputs. It provides a wide range of beneficial effects that include providing a well-balanced nutrition, improved growth & development of crops, increase resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, soil conditioning and enhanced yield. Vegegrow combines in one unique formulation the essential properties of three (3) seaweed species found in tropical waters namely Euchema cotonii, Euchema spinosum, Sargasum polycystum.  These are the same seaweed species used to produce food supplements, food ingredients and enhancers, cosmetics etc., proving its being safe for environment and humans.

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Ideas in organic gardening and how to survive under climate change will be among the top topics in the daily lectures that will be held in conjunction with Horticulture 2010, the annual garden show of the Philippine Horticultural Society to be held on January 29 to February 8.

The lectures will be held at the Greenhouse No. 2 of the Manila Seedling Bank at the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, according to Wendy Regalado, PHS president.

On January 30, at 10 a.m., Tony de Castro will lecture on vermiculture for organic gardening while at 2 p.m., Pearl Banaag, president of World Flower Council, will demonstrate avant garde floral arrangement.

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Here’s an in-depth look at the world of organic farming for both livestock and organic.

Organic agriculture in the Philippines is still in its embryonic phase when compared to agricultural sectors of other countries. However, organic agriculture in the country is fast gaining ground. Though organic agricultural production is limited, it is steadily growing, between 10-20% annually. The organic market in the country is currently considered as a “niche market.” But producers need not be discouraged. Top marketing experts have predicted that in the coming trends, it is in the niche markets where profits lie. Organic products are also penetrating the major supermarkets with a price premium ranging from 20% to 50% over non-organic products.

The President of Philippines approved a document on the “Promotion and Development of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines” in 2005-Executive Order 481. This recognizes the marketability potential of organic agriculture in the country and also provides government support to the development of the organic sector of agriculture. EO 481 also hopes to establish an organic agriculture program that will adopt and develop organic product markets, the education of more farmers, the extension of assistance to individuals and groups who are practicing and promoting these methods, and documentation and evaluation of the programs.

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A seaweed-based organic fertilizer which is said to address micronutrient deficiencies, particularly zinc (Zn) deficiency, in rice and other crops was one of the products that farmers should not have missed at the recent Agrilink trade show held at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City.

The fertilizer is called MegaZinc Plus, which is claimed to increase rice yield by a minimum of 20 cavans per hectare, increase resistance of rice plants to pest and diseases, increase tillering, induce uniform maturity of grains, and increase milling recovery. It has 1.62% zinc seaweed extracts plus auxins, gibberelins and cytokinins as active ingredients.

Florentino Pangilinan, owner and general manager of Central Luzon Farmers Agro Center in Cabanatuan City, the producer of MegaZinc Plus, said that zincis the most critical micronutrient to rice growth, with Zn deficiency now considered as the third most widespread nutrient disorder in lowland rice areas of Asia, next to nitrogen and phosphorus.

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Coco sugar and other organic products from Lanao del Norte sold like the proverbial hotcake at the 2009 National Livelihood Trade Fair at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City under the auspices of the Philippine Chamber of Handicrafts, Inc. and the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc.

Besides coco sugar, the other organic products from Lanao del Norte included honeymansi with pineapple, honeymansi concentrate plain, pineapple marmalade, bangus in corn oil packed in glass container, coco honey and coconut vinegar which are all manufactured without any preservatives.

A lot of people bought the coco sugar although the price is much higher than the sugar from sugarcane. The coco sugar is in the form of fructose which is superior healthwise compared to the sucrose in the ordinary sugar from sugarcane.

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What does “organic” mean?

In terms of pure chemistry, any food item (even Cheese Whiz) is invariably “organic” because they contain carbon as part of carbohydrates, proteins, or lipids. But the kind of “organic” we’re talking about when it comes to groceries is quite a bit different. The USDA now has special regulations defining “organic” foods. (Canadian standards are similar.)

•  Organic foods must be grown, harvested, and packaged without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or preservatives.

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Organic farming is a vibrant commercial agricultural system practiced in 120 countries, covering 31 million hectares of cultivated lands and an additional 62 million hectares of certified, wild harvested areas. In 2006, the organic market was worth US$40 billion and it is expected to reach US$70 million by 2012.

Professor Ivette Perfecto, a researcher from the University of Michigan, believes that organic farming can feed the world’s growing population. She said the idea that people would go hungry if farming went organic is “ridiculous.”

She pointed out: “Corporate interest in agriculture and the way agriculture research has been conducted in land grant institutions, with a lot of influence by the chemical companies and pesticide companies as well as fertilizer companies – all have been playing an important role in convincing the public that you need to have these inputs to produce food.”

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UPLB-NEDA’s agri project Enhancing Production and Profitability of Market Oriented Organic Vegetables in CALABARZON’ is giving farmers their second wind.

Back in 2005, the authorization of Executive Order 481 titled “Promotion and Development of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines” further fortified the need for an information system for organic agriculture. Signed last August 2006, the rules and regulations specified that the secretariat of the National Technical Committee and the National Organic Agriculture Board, is lodged with the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards.

Organic farming in the country has also improved since the demand for organic produce has skyrocketed for the past few years. Thanks to different organic markets in the Metro and bagsakan centers in rural areas that now promote and give organic farmers a chance to sell their products.

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Ex-NPA chief Bernabe Buscayno of Talaga, Capas, Tarlac and Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan are both producers of organic bananas. The methods of these close friends, however, are very different. Catacutan is into the scientific, while “Kumander Dante ” practices what he calls primitive banana production that he learned from the natives when he was in the boondocks.

Buscayno started venturing in banana production in 2004. But before this, he was producing rice. He had even established a rice farmers’ cooperative after then President Corazon Aquino granted him a reprieve. The co-op unfortunately fell apart because the 2,000 members were affected by the Mt. Pinatuba eruption in 1991.

Buscayno was encouraged by his friend who was working at the Lorenzo Farms in Davao to plant banana instead of rice as the return of investment with banana is more substantial. He was convinced of its potential and so he ordered 4,000 tissue-cultured  seedlings from the Lorenzo Farms. He bought cavendish, lakatan, and latundan varieties at P30 each.

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Metro Manila and other cities in the Philippines are in a quandary over garbage. The landfills are filled and full to the brim like running-over septic tanks. Concerned citizens in landfill areas are led to barricade the entrance with their own selves. Some time back in Rodriguez, Rizal, the mayor even led a human barricade.

Years ago, I suggested to the barangay captain of the barangay where I live that a barangay composting center be set up. The barangay captain replied, saying, “mahirap, e,” meaning, it would be difficult. With a dash of political will, however, anything is possible.

In 2008, I again trekked to the barangay office with the same suggestion that a barangay composting center and a materials recovery facility be established in accordance with Republic Act 9003, or the Solid Waste Management Act. To the new barangay captain and to the kagawads heading concerned committees, I presented a letter aimed at introducing a waste management scheme to each barangay constituent, together with my research and supporting papers and information materials related thereto, for the barangay council’s consideration. Two months passed, however, and I have yet to hear about waste management being tackled by the barangay before its constituents.

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