Supply Chain Analysis of the Muscovado Sugar Industry in Antique, Philippines

In recent years, there is a growing preference for natural and healthy products resulting to increase in market demand for muscovado sugar in the domestic market and markets abroad. The Province of Antique, Philippines, used to be the key producer of muscovado sugar in the 1960s, producing 70% of the country’s total muscovado sugar. Production of muscovado sugar has declined, attributed to factors like domination of refined sugar in the over-all sugar industry, decline in volume and quality of sugar due to neglect, inefficient milling practices, and underdeveloped milling channels. This paper documents the muscovado sugar supply chain in the province of Antique to provide basis for policy makers and industry players towards industry revitalization and eventually increasing its level of competitiveness. Data was gathered using key informant interviews and expert opinion. In addition, surveys were conducted in 7 sugarcane-producing municipalities in Antique with 79 respondents, determined using a two-stage random sampling. The paper maps out the supply chain of muscovado sugar in Antique showing the actors, key processes, flow of product, payment and information, logistics issues and concerns, and external influences along the chain. Appropriate recommendations were made in accordance to the objective of increasing the industry’s level of performance and competitiveness. Specific participant-anchored and process-based strategies are recommended

Benchmarking Sugarcane Production and Management Technology for Muscovado Sugar in the Province of Antique, Western Visayas, Philippines

Long-term sustainability of industries such as an agri-food production system is essential in the light of pressures to satisfy diverse customer needs, comply with government regulations, and to maintain core competency as in response to stiffer market competition. This has led to the identification of best management practices for highly critical and important commodities as the case of muscovado sugar. This paper attempts to gauge the performance of sugarcane production and management technology for use in muscovado sugar production in the province of Antique vis-á-vis process-specific levels of sugarcane production technology as categorized by the Sugar Regulatory Administration. A survey was conducted in 7 sugarcane-producing municipalities in the Province of Antique with 79 respondents selected using two-stage random sampling. Results show that the industry is at par when it comes to best management practices along the areas of planting practices, planting material selection, closing in timing, harvesting practices, trash management, shuttle shaving, and variety programming. The industry in the province lags behind along the areas of soil preparation and fertilizer application. It is recommended that all interventions geared towards improving the industry performance be anchored on evidence-based research findings. Moreover, it is further recommended that to improve productivity in sugarcane production, the industry in Antique must capitalize on its strengths while working towards the improvement of critical areas mentioned

Institutional Dynamics of the Native Chicken Industry in Western Visayas, Philippines

The native chicken industry is an important component of the Philippine economy, particularly in Western Visayas. Dominated largely by small farm households, it continuously faces issues concerning supply availability and sustainability attributed to high mortality and low productivity. This paper examined the governance of the native chicken industry in Western Visayas. It describes the scales of operation of native chicken industry in the region; the different stakeholders involved and their roles; their manner of interactions, as well as the legal framework that shaped the native chicken industry of the country in general and the region in particular. This study uses data collected from secondary sources such as reports of various agencies as well as primary data from focus group discussions conducted in the five provinces of the region. The results indicate that the native chicken industry in Western Visayas has two scales of operation: the multitude backyard native chicken raisers and few organized commercial raisers. The industry is apparently fragmented. There are several policies, laws, and legal provisions promoting the development and sustainability of the native chicken industry. Spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture with the cooperation of other national government agencies, local government units, and civil society organizations, numerous programs and projects have been initiated and implemented to cater to the native chicken industry. The main challenge is the overlapping and duplication of services due to lack of coordination among agencies. The paper suggests that there is a need for institutional strengthening and harmonization of interventions. A seamless institutional dynamic redounds a favorable environment for the native chicken industry to flourish

Profitability Analysis of the Muscovado Sugar Farms

Given the escalating hype for organic-based food, the growing adherence to health-conscious lifestyles, and the increasing consumer preference for natural and healthy products, the market demand for muscovado sugar both at domestic and global markets is rising. The Western Visayas Region (Region VI) is the Philippines’ top producer supplying 32.5% of the country’s total commodity output. Production systems for muscovado farming in the region is divided into two: (1) the highly fragmented, backyard level, and privately owned and managed farms exemplified by farms in Antique, and (2) the vertically integrated, centrally managed, and champion-led farms in Capiz, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental. With the growing competition from the other muscovado-producing provinces, it is imperative to increase the level of competitiveness. Producer-respondents were drawn from the list provided by their respective Provincial Agriculture Offices. Data was gathered by purposive sampling using a structured questionnaire and documentation matrix. The experts in a forum that was attended by industry participants validated the result. Results show that profitability is higher among vertically integrated, centrally managed, and champion-led farms. Minimal variability in farm profitability was noted between adaptors of organic and conventional farming technologies. In addition, consolidation of farms is justified based on its ability to increase profitability, especially for farms that are highly fragmented. Results further imply that big land holdings are deemed competitive be it run by big individual or corporate players. Moreover, consolidation results to efficiency in the delivery of technical services, compliance to meeting market requirements, as well as standardized products, among the many other benefits

Brassinolide interacts with auxin and ethylene in the root gravitropic response of maize ( Zea mays )

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72956/1/j.0031-9317.2004.00356.x.pd

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentration and ACC synthase expression in soybean roots, root tips, and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines)-infected roots

Colonization of plant roots by root knot and cyst nematodes requires a functional ethylene response pathway. However, ethylene plays many roles in root development and whether its role in nematode colonization is direct or indirect, for example lateral root initiation or root hair growth, is not known. The temporal requirement for ethylene and localized synthesis of ethylene during the life span of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) on soybean roots was further investigated. Although a significant increase in ethylene evolution was not detected from SCN-colonized roots, the concentration of the immediate precursor to ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), was higher in SCN-colonized root pieces and root tips than in other parts of the root. Moreover, expression analysis of 17 ACC synthase (ACS) genes indicated that a select set of ACS genes is expressed in SCN-colonized root pieces that is clearly different from the set of genes expressed in non-colonized roots or root tips. Semi-quantitative real-time PCR indicated that ACS transcript accumulation correlates with the high concentration of ACC in root tips. In addition, an ACS-like sequence was found in the public SCN nucleotide database. Acquisition of a full-length sequence for this mRNA (accession GQ389647) and alignment with transcripts for other well-characterized ACS proteins indicated that the nematode sequence is missing a key element required for ACS activity and therefore probably is not a functional ACS. Moreover, no significant amount of ACC was found in any growth stage of SCN that was tested

Genes involved in ethylene and gibberellins metabolism are required for endosperm-limited germiantion of Sisymbrium officinales L. Seeds

The rupture of the seed coat and that of the endosperm were found to be two sequential events in the germination of Sisymbrium officinale L. seeds, and radicle protrusion did not occur exactly in the micropylar area but in the neighboring zone. The germination patterns were similar both in the presence of gibberellins (GA4+7) and in presence of ethrel. The analysis of genes involved in GAs synthesis and breakdown demonstrated that (1) SoGA2ox6 expression peaked just prior to radicle protrusion (20–22 h), while SoGA3ox2 and SoGA20ox2 expression was high at early imbibition (6 h) diminishing sharply thereafter; (2) the accumulation of SoGA20ox2 transcript was strongly inhibited by paclobutrazol (PB) as well as by inhibitors of ET synthesis and signaling (IESS) early after imbibition (6 h), while SoGA3ox2 and SoGA2ox6 expression was slowly depressed as germination progressed; (3) ethrel and GA4+7 positively or negatively affected expression of SoGA3ox2, SoGA20ox2, and SoGA2ox6, depending on the germination period studied. Regarding genes involved in ET synthesis, our results showed that SoACS7 was expressed, just prior to radicle emergence while SoACO2 expression slowly increased as germination progressed. Both genes were strongly inhibited by PB but were almost unaffected by externally added ethrel or GA4+7. These results suggest that GAs are more important than ET during the early stages of imbibition, while ET is more important at the late phases of germination of S. officinale L. seed