Governor Daisy Fuentes said that her three-year gubernatorial term may not be enough to employ all the strategies she had started to promote agribusiness in South Cotabato, but the thriving agribusiness sector and the influx of new investors would encourage elected leaders to continue what she had started. Fuentes shared  South Cotabato's agribusiness experience during the local government units' conference in Makati City last Wednesday.

South Cotabato, described as the "bread basket of the south", is a landlocked province in the southern part of Mindanao that boasts of a typhoon-free area and fertile soil ideal for agribusiness ventures.

"Our province is home to the 20,000-hectare DOLE pineapple plantation. We also supply 90% of the country's asparagus, and we are the top exporter and producer of high quality bananas, corn, hogs and livestock," Fuentes said. Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie G. Fondevilla mentioned that bananas, corn, and pineapple were among the leading export agricultural products of the Philippines.

Agri-based industries like Dole Philippines and Marsman-Drysdale Agri Ventures continue their expansion in the province promising additional 6,000 jobs. Fuentes said more local and foreign investors see the agribusiness potentials of South Cotabato following the government's move to discourage businessmen from paying "revolutionary taxes" to rebels.

Moreover, Fuentes said the government intensified its training provided for workers involved in growing crops and handling export products.

"When we learn that there's a new technology in production or product processing applied in other provinces, we send our people there to be trained and we later adopt it in South Cotabato," Fuentes explained.

Fuentes also said that they provide financing assistance for small farmers involved in  processing and trading, farmers' and fisherfolk's organizations and small and medium enterprises engaged in agriculture and fisheries.

South Cotabato government tied the province's agribusiness centers to encourage tourism. Fuentes said that Lake Sebu, a major producer of tilapia, and Polomolok town, where Dole plantation and cannery are situated, were identified as tourist destinations to introduce their products to the tourists.

Encouraged by South Cotabato's experience, LGU officials including Occidental Mindoro Governor Josephine Sato, Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn Uy, and Tarlac City Genaro Mendoza  signed an agreement vowing to create. - abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak