FTI, CIAC ink deal for a P3.6-B agri-food hub in Clark
A P3.6-billion food and agri hub is set to rise in Pampanga, a large-scale agri-food complex that will serve as the main trading center for northern Philippines.
State-run firms Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) signed a memorandum of agreement on Monday for the planned food and agri hub to be called Bagsakan ng Bayan Mega Food Hub (BBM Food Hub).
FTI President and CEO Joseph Rudolph Lo said construction of the BBM Food Hub in Clark was set to begin in March next year and will take about a year to finish.
The food and agri complex will rise on a 46-hectare property of the CIAC, which will integrate wholesale trading, food storage, processing, logistics and agri-tourism facilities.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), it will feature a Halal-certified zone and dedicated spaces for One Town, One Project enterprises that promote local livelihoods, innovation and sustainable growth.
CIAC President and CEO Joseph Alcazar said the collaboration entails development, operation and maintenance of the food hub.
It will cater to Clark Freeport Zone, New Clark City, Metro Manila and the regions of northern, Central and southern Luzon, as well as provide direct access to global markets.
In a statement on Monday, the CIAC said the project would boost national food security and enhance the country’s competitiveness as a food exporter by improving logistics, cold chain systems, quarantine processes and compliance with international trade and safety standards.
The FTI will lease the Clark property from the CIAC for 25 years.
“This is one of several mega food hubs the DA will develop to ensure stable markets and long-term food security. It supports the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of giving farmers and fisherfolk fair access to markets through strategically located food terminals,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on Monday.
“This partnership aligns squarely with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize agricultural development and strengthen the agro- and agri-logistics value chain—particularly in advancing the nation’s aquaculture and agriculture industries,” Alcazar said.
