AGRICULTURE IN ASEAN INTEGRATION

Agriculture sector in ASEAN will be a great opportunity for our country. It will help us
in maximizing our capacity in production, while augment our needs. The principle of
comparative advantage is the heart of trade theory. It is an economic theory
soundly based on the concepts of opportunity costs and relative efficiencies with
respect to resource use. For example, if Region 7 has a comparative advantage in
the production of corn relative to other crops like rice or vegetables, then the region
should specialize in producing corn and trade with other regions for goods in which
it has a comparative disadvantage.
Using the guiding principle espouse by David Ricardo, we have the advantage in
corn production. It is our strength. As we can read in the report, the potential
market for corn is wide, within the country or outside is another factor, thus we
have great advantage. Then through trading with ASEAN partners, we can import
goods that we are not weak in production. For example we can import farm
equipment and other inputs that can augment our production. Bigger production is
needed to support our growing population while supplying other countries.
In general, being a country that is predominantly agrarian, our agricultural sector
should be our main driver in ASEAN. The government should give priority in
promoting agricultural products that have potentials in the regional trading, export
and for internal consumption. It should be supported by the academe and other
non-governmental organization in providing substantial research and discoveries of
new technologies and farm methods, infrastructure supports and more.

Product diversification to strengthen Philippine

agriculture
By Philexport News and Features (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 17, 2016 12:00am
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MANILA, Philippines Exporters, producers and processors of agriculture and fishery products
must diversify their portfolio to gain competitive advantage in overseas market and maximize the
countrys potential benefits from the ASEAN economic integration, a state think tank said.

Although a longer value chain is needed to realize diversification, it delivers more benefits,
said a policy note titled Improving the readiness of A&F industries to the ASEAN integration
released by the Philippine Institute and Development Studies (PIDS).
PIDS said a public program that encourages product diversification may result in larger value
added, more jobs and income opportunities in on- and off-farm activities.
It cited as an example coconut products which could be processed to produce coconut sugar,
virgin coconut oil and other coconut-based products.
The PIDS also underscored opportunities that exist in commodities that the Philippines can
produce competitively, such as sugar, corn, animal feed, tobacco and palm oil.
Growth in international demand is also expected to benefit exporters that can meet the increasing
requirements related to environment, food safety and commercial policies of importing countries.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

To be more competitive, the quality of the countrys A&F products should be improved. This
can be done through the application of good production practices, such as good agricultural
practices and good manufacturing practices, it said.
Improving the quality of Philippines products also requires further investment in human capital
development to upgrade skills, it added.
The PIDS study said economic integration tends to displace local industries that may not be
competitive in the absence of trade protection.
The key to realize larger and more diverse market opportunities of regional integration is to
facilitate the movement of economic resources previously in displaced import- competing
industries to export-oriented industries and to make more effective those that are already in
export-oriented industries, it said.
Further, the PIDS said local producers must find a way to become competitive other than by
being granted production or export subsidies, which are often inefficient and vulnerable to
leakages.
Businesses need to innovate to adapt to the impacts of climate change, respond to the challenges
of rising input costs and take advantage of the opportunities for value adding in their industry.

High degree of preparedness of agro-based value chains is necessary to translate market

opportunities into new sources of incomes for the countrys agricultural and fisheries producers,
it said.
One of the recommendations is to establish industry roadmaps with stakeholders to determine
market opportunities and the needed resources to realize them.
The PIDS study also underscored the need for the government to provide stronger and more
effective support to local producers to better prepare them for the ASEAN economic integration.