DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) - - The Provincial Government of Davao del Norte, through the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAGRO) in coordination with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Davao del Norte, is working on a memorandum of undertaking (MOU) for the entry of a US$20 million (P1 billlion) worth of investment on bamboo industry.

Guesting in the Sayron Ta, Pakigsayod Radio Program, DTI XI Bamboo Industry Regional Focal Jobert D. Saramillas said that a group of Canadian investors is looking for  a 10,000-hectare of bamboo plantation in Davao del Norte to supply a processing plant that the investor will construct at the economic zone in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

The investment sprung from the need of Canada for a substantial supply of “charged carbon” used in growing plants and in fruit production, Saramilla said.

panginahanglan (The Governor wants the completion of the PCIP Provincial Commodity Investment Plan to make sure that the plans and interventions for our bamboo farmers would fit with what they really need),” he explained.

Cogay admitted that PAGRO still has no expertise on bamboo farming, thus, the need to carefully consider the entry of such a considerably huge initial investment on bamboo production and processing in  Davao del Norte.

He revealed that indeed Davao del Norte has a wide land area to meet the requirement,  while noting that areas with Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADT) are being considered for bamboo plantation.

While there are areas already planted with bamboos in Davao del Norte, Cogay said bamboos here at not yet sold on large commercial scale, and PAGRO has yet to determine the hectarage by coming up with  an inventory.  

On board the  same radio program, DTI Davao del Norte Senior Trade and Industry Specialist Kareen Casing said the US$20 million bamboo industry investment  was one of the results of the Davao del Norte Investment Conference (DavNor Icon) conducted in December 2022.  (JMDA/PIA Davao del Norte)