COTABATO CITY-To help revive the poultry industry by providing investment information, capability and opportunities to those who are interested to venture into poultry business, the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT) through its Bureau of Investments (BOI) organized a Poultry Industry Investment Forum and Business Matching on August 19, 2021 at Pagana Kutawato Native Restaurant, this city.
As a ministry in charge of facilitating investments in the region, the BOI spearheaded the said activity in collaboration with the Philippine Halal Manok Corporation (PHMC), Eberman Corporation, Landbank of the Philippines (LBP), and Amanah Islamic Bank (AIB).
In the 1st quarter of 2021, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recorded the biggest annual decline of -50.6 percent, from 1,708 metric tons, lightweights in the first quarter of 2020 to 844 metric tons lightweight during this years 1st quarter. Chicken production declined due to weak demand from its main demand drivers brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the opening remarks of Deputy Minister Atty. Sukarno Abas, he stated that the community lockdowns has heavily affected the hotels, restaurants and institutional industries, where it is estimated that one third of all chicken is consumed. The temporary halt in businesses operations and job loss also led to lower consumer spending.
“We are hopeful that this activity will help revive the industry, generate investment leads that will eventually become full blown enterprises and propel the creation of jobs and income for the Bangsamoro,” Atty. Abas added.
Poultry is one of the most rapidly growing livestock sectors in the country. According to PSA-BARMM, around 1.8 million chicken have been produced in the BARMM in 2020. Lanao del Sur is the top producer at 36% followed by Sulu (22%), Basilan (21%), Tawi-Tawi (18%) and Maguindanao (13%). Chicken demand in the country is to increase by 1.9% annually between 2018 and 2027.
During the message of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim said that it is with the growing potential that poultry was chosen to be part of the agribusiness sector listed in the 2020 BARMM investment priorities plan which provide investors with the same industry to avail various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.
“The Bangsamoro that thrives in business and investments is a Bangsamoro that can truly move forward towards lasting development,” Chief Minister Ebrahim said.
The activity aims to enable our potential poultry growers to identify and connect with our private partners who believe in the potential of poultry industry and provide them with complimentary services, expertise, technologies and business strengths.
Bilang namumuno ng MTIT, itinatampok namin ito para palakasin ang industriya sa pamamagitan ng pag invest ng business tulad nalang nitong poultry investments,” Minister Abuamri Taddik said.
The MTIT-BOI will also provide investment options for former combatants who will be receiving substantial support from the BARMM government through the comprehensive socio-economic development as part of the normalization component as stated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) or RA 11054.
BOI Director Shamera Abobakar reported during the event’s closing ceremonies that 110 of the participants composed of members of cooperatives, former Bangsamoro combatants, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), local government units (LGU), government employees, start-ups and existing enterprises were business matched. Ninety-five of them expressed interest in investing in the poultry industry as contract grower, distributor, franchiser of the PHMC and 54 were keen to apply for credit assistance with LBP and AIB.