DA-10 presents cassava clustering plan to strengthen market networks

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10), through its Field Operations Division (FOD), presented a Cassava Clustering Plan to strengthen market networks and improve coordination across the value chain among cassava farmers in Misamis Oriental.

Held on September 18, the discussion brought together cassava farmers, leaders of farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs), local government unit (LGU) representatives in MisOr, and Daesang Philippines, Corp. to discuss enterprise clustering, production planning, and market linkages.

The clustering approach encourages farmers to organize production areas and coordinate farm activities to consolidate resources and harvests, improve access to government interventions, and reduce production and marketing costs. It also provides opportunities for farmers to collectively access farm machinery and equipment and meet the volume requirements of institutional buyers.

Discussions covered the current status and direction of the cassava industry, including the performance, challenges, market requirements, and interventions to support the cassava sector in Northern Mindanao.

The participants also discussed the requirements of institutional markets, particularly the need to align planting and harvest schedules with market demand. A representative from Daesang presented requirements on harvest scheduling, delivery volumes, quality standards, pricing, and applicable deductions based on product quality. As of September 18, Daesang indicated a requirement of 500 metric tons of fresh cassava tubers per day, with a buying price of ₱5.20 per kilogram, subject to applicable deductions based on product quality.

Daesang has previously entered into Memoranda of Agreement with cassava clusters from Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon for the supply of fresh cassava tubers to its starch manufacturing plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. The agreements were supported by government agencies as part of efforts to strengthen market linkages for cassava farmers.

The activity also introduced the Framework on Drone Mapping for Corn and Cassava Commodities, which aims to support farm area validation, commodity mapping, production planning, and monitoring. The resulting farm-level information may be used in identifying production areas and clusters and in planning appropriate interventions.

Through the clustering approach, DA-10 aims to strengthen coordination among farmers, FCAs, LGUs, and institutional buyers and help align cassava production with market demand. It also aligns with the agency’s continuous efforts to promote farm clustering and consolidation, improve production efficiency, and strengthen market linkages through partnerships with the private sector. # (DFCQ)