Soil and climate ideal for sector diversification

The fertile soil and environmental conditions in Metro Naga make the area suitable for a wide range of agricultural ventures, including diversified farming and downstream processing. Five priority High Value Cash Crops (HVCC) being promoted in the area include pilinuts, mangoes, pineapples, coffee and cassava.

Opportunities can also be explored in the following areas:

• Commercial production of fruits and vegetables
  • Potential plantation areas can be extensively used for the production of banana, papaya, pineapple and mango to supply both the local and domestic markets.
• Integration of crop production with fishery, poultry or livestock
  • Some areas currently used for rice or corn-growing can also be utilized for other agricultural ventures depending on the contour of the land and presence of water facilities.
• Production of spices
  • Large areas may also be planted with spices, including cinnamon, vanilla, birds eye chili, sesame seeds, black pepper and ginger.
• Organic farming
  • Upland areas may be utilized for organically-grown rice and vegetables which have become increasingly popular as the market becomes more health-conscious.
• Cut flowers and ornamentals market
  • The slopes of Mount Isarog provide an ideal site for these ventures, as manifested by the presence of small-scale flower farms that have done well in the area for several decades.
• Production of cocoa and coffee
  • With an expanding area being dedicated to coffee and cocoa production, the potential for processing these crops has already been recognized.

The profitability of undertaking the abovesaid ventures can be increased if production will be combined with downstream processing so that the investor will not only be producing raw materials but processed end products.

Downstream Processing

For some ventures, semi-processed products can bring higher profitability levels:

• Integrating plantation crops with processing - This includes the establishment of an integrated cassava or spices plantation with processing and packaging facilities.
• Dairy production and meat processing - The area’s cattle and goat population may be expanded to produce milk and other dairy products for supply to pasteurization plants in other parts of the country. Meat and other products may be further processed and canned to supply the domestic market.
• Processing - Existing levels of crop production provide processing opportunities. The coconut industry, for example, can be tapped for the production of virgin coconut oil for which there is a high demand both locally and overseas. Another high-value crop, pili or canarium, can be processed into several products, among them canarium-based red wine from its pulp and industrial resin from the pili trunk.