Mindanao aims to become palm oil hub
Despite still unresolved conflicts between military groups and authorities in some parts on Mindanao, the Philippines’ southernmost province keeps building up its economy.
The latest project is an initiative to transform the island into a major producer of palm oil in the next two years, which has now been kicked off through joint efforts between major oil palm industry players and the government.
The Mindanao Development Authority said that under the cooperation, oil palm companies would increase the total area devoted to oil palm cultivation to 177,000 hectares in the period.
Currently, the total area used for oil palms in Mindanao is 54,448 hectares, according to data from the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council. Priority areas considered for expansion are those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and in the Caraga region. There are also plans to open a $40 million oil palm nut crushing facility in Carmen, North Cotabato.
In another move, the Mindanao Development Authority is promoting the island as the food and logistics corridor of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Meanwhile, the two largest rebel groups, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), signed an agreement on May 23 to end violence after recent conflict displaced over 7,000 villagers.
Despite still unresolved conflicts between military groups and authorities in some parts on Mindanao, the Philippines' southernmost province keeps building up its economy. The latest project is an initiative to transform the island into a major producer of palm oil in the next two years, which has now been kicked off through joint efforts between major oil palm industry players and the government. The Mindanao Development Authority said that under the cooperation, oil palm companies would increase the total area devoted to oil palm cultivation to 177,000 hectares in the period. Currently, the total area used for oil palms in...
Despite still unresolved conflicts between military groups and authorities in some parts on Mindanao, the Philippines’ southernmost province keeps building up its economy.
The latest project is an initiative to transform the island into a major producer of palm oil in the next two years, which has now been kicked off through joint efforts between major oil palm industry players and the government.
The Mindanao Development Authority said that under the cooperation, oil palm companies would increase the total area devoted to oil palm cultivation to 177,000 hectares in the period.
Currently, the total area used for oil palms in Mindanao is 54,448 hectares, according to data from the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council. Priority areas considered for expansion are those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and in the Caraga region. There are also plans to open a $40 million oil palm nut crushing facility in Carmen, North Cotabato.
In another move, the Mindanao Development Authority is promoting the island as the food and logistics corridor of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Meanwhile, the two largest rebel groups, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), signed an agreement on May 23 to end violence after recent conflict displaced over 7,000 villagers.
