Agriculture

Five young Filipino agribusiness startups brought their products and business ideas to the Asia-Pacific Agrifood Innovation Summit 2026 in Singapore, seeking to connect with investors, industry players, and potential partners as they explore opportunities beyond the domestic market. Supported by the Department of Agriculture’s Young Farmers Challenge (YFC), the enterprises showcased value-added agricultural products and solutions at the October 27–29 summit at the Suntec Convention Centre. The Philippine participation was led by the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, in collaboration with the Philippine Agriculture Office in Bangkok, Thailand. The five startups represented different ways of turning local agricultural resources into higher-value products. L’Reinvente transforms agricultural by-products into skincare products while providing livelihood opportunities for farmers and marginalized communities. CHER Cacao Products Manufacturing, a youth-led bean-to-bar chocolate enterprise based in Negros Oriental, promotes locally sourced cacao through processing and product development. Bluecrust Food Manufacturing develops value-added products from crustaceans, while Aelius makes wellness products from different parts of the coconut, linking product innovation with farmer support and environmental sustainability. Y’Nut Food Products, meanwhile, turns locally grown peanuts into nutritious, market-ready food products. Beyond promoting their brands, the startups had opportunities to network with entrepreneurs, industry representatives and potential business partners from across the Asia-Pacific region. They also attended sessions on food systems, biomanufacturing, regenerative agriculture and food traceability, areas that are increasingly influencing how food is produced, processed and brought to market. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. joined the summit as a featured speaker, outlining the Philippines’ efforts to modernize agricultural value chains through resilience, investment, data-driven governance, inclusive development and collaboration across government and industry. “We also brought young Filipino agripreneurs to the Singapore event to introduce them to a wider market, and expose them to innovations and fresh ideas they can bring home, adapt and develop into viable businesses that create jobs and attract more investment in agriculture,” said Tiu Laurel. The DA also organized the “Innovating Agriculture: Young Farmers Challenge Pitching Showcase,” where participating enterprises presented their business models and products at the summit’s Innovation Stage. Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said young agripreneurs were finding ways to add value to local resources, develop sustainable solutions and connect Philippine agriculture to regional and global markets. The showcase reflects a broader policy challenge for Philippine agriculture. Raising production remains important, but improving processing, product development and market access is just as critical to increasing the value farmers and agribusinesses earn from local resources. Through the YFC, the DA seeks to help young Filipinos establish and expand market-oriented ventures in agriculture and fisheries. Bringing these enterprises to an international platform also exposes them to commercial networks and ideas that could help turn promising startups into competitive businesses.

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The Philippines has plenty of bamboo-growing land. What it lacks is enough businesses turning the fast-growing grass into products worth considerably more than garden stakes and handicrafts.

The British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) has opposed a proposed pork import holiday and higher tariffs, warning that restricting supplies ahead of Christmas could intensify food inflation while African swine fever (ASF) continues to constrain domestic production.