LOS BANOS, Laguna, Nov 5 (PIA) – Oriental Mindoro farmer-leaders, processors, and representatives from the private sector and government gained a good grasp of the calamansi processing industry and the opportunities and challenges in a seminar recently conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Government agencies represented included the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Science and Technology (DOST), and Trade and Industry (DTI).
Held virtually, the seminar focused on calamansi waste utilization and product development opportunities. It aimed to enable the participants to recommend interventions and strategies for potential calamansi products and enterprises.
The capacity building activity is under the project "Upgrading the Calamansi Value Chain towards Improving the Calamansi Industry of Oriental Mindoro" funded by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) and jointly implemented by SEARCA, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI), Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT), and the local government of Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, said Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio, SEARCA Program Head for Research and Thought Leadership.
He explained that the project aims to bring together the strengths of the research institutions, in collaboration with the local government units, private sector and industries to address the technical and market constraints that confront the calamansi industry.
Dr. Orencio said the collaboration operationalizes SEARCA's Academe-Industry-Government (AIG) interconnectivity model to strengthen agricultural innovations and promote market-driven agribusiness models towards increased productivity and income of farmers and stakeholders.
According to SEARCA study leader Dr. Matilde Maunahan, the seminar took off from the results and recommendations of the value chain analysis and the stakeholders' validation workshop to set the tone for further initiatives in calamansi enhancement and product development.
Oriental Mindoro Provincial Agriculturist Christine Pine discussed the calamansi industry roadmap of the province. She explained the current production trends, products and markets, and the major constraints along the calamansi value chain.
She said Oriental Mindoro is envisioned to be the number one supplier of quality fresh and processed calamansi products that are compliant with good agricultural and manufacturing practices and standards catering to both domestic and international markets.
University Researcher II Fides Tambalo of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) discussed the food and non-food products derived from calamansi by-products like pulp, rind, and peels and their market potential. She said non-food products include essential oil, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
On the other hand, DOST- Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) Senior Science Research Specialist Oliver C. Evangelista introduced the calamansi dietary fiber, which is an insoluble type of dietary fiber that can be derived from the pulp and peel of the calamansi fruit. He said the product prototype can be in the form of tablet, powder, and cookies.
Representatives from several institutions and the private sector gave their perspectives on the topics discussed and possible ways forward towards improving the calamansi industry of Oriental Mindoro.
Those who expressed their support and pledged their commitment on behalf of their organizations were Ms. Corazon O. Sinnung, Regional Focal Person for the High Value Crops Division of DA-Region IV-B; Ms. Rachel B. Montero, Science Research Specialist II of DOST-Oriental Mindoro; Ms. Lucilyn Precious A. Leviste of DTI-Oriental Mindoro; Mr. Lloyd Kristoffer Berroya, President of the Berroya Corp.; and Mr. Leonel C. Mendoza, Director for Research and Manager of the MinSCAT Food Innovation Center.
