The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the provincial government of Bukidnon have signed a P1.97-billion partnership to establish a major food hub in Northern Mindanao, an anchor project in the national effort to modernize agri-logistics and strengthen the value chain.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Bukidnon Governor Rogelio Neil Roque signed a memorandum of agreement for the development of the Bukidnon Food Hub (BFH) in Manolo Fortich on Wednesday.
Located just outside Cagayan de Oro City, the BFH is envisioned to provide farmers and producers a more direct and efficient route to domestic and export markets.
Planned for phased development over the next three years on a 41-hectare site, the project is designed to cut logistics costs, reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize supply chains and open new income streams for farmers.
The hub is expected to reduce intermediary layers, give farmers direct access to buyers and improve supply-chain efficiency by consolidating high-value crops and other commodities from major producing towns for seamless transport to ports and airports.
“For a long time, Mindanao has been regarded as the land of promise. This food hub that we will build in Bukidnon, a rich agricultural center, is a step toward the realization of that promise, not only for Mindanaoans but for the entire nation,” said Tiu Laurel.
The complex will feature a full suite of post-harvest and processing facilities, including cold-storage and dry warehouses, dryers and dehydrators, an ice plant and processing centers for corn, coffee, cacao, vegetables and fruits.
It will also host a poultry dressing plant, wholesale market platforms, transport bays, commercial spaces, water systems, standby power and waste-treatment facilities.
Tiu Laurel also signed a letter of commitment with Misamis Oriental Governor Juliet Uy to position the Misamis Oriental Provincial Development Complex as an expanded food-processing and innovation hub.
The plan involves converting the former multibillion-peso tobacco processing facility, backed by an initial P500 million DA investment for a corn silo system, embryo culture for coconut, cold-storage facilities and value-adding centers for high-value crops, including a potato-processing line for the region.
