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

Mapping the Sweet Path

The Western Visayas region is the Philippines’ top muscovado sugar–producing region, with a 32.5% contribution to the total commodity output. Muscovado is a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavor, low calorie count, and high nutritional content comparable to pure bees’ honey. Given the commodity’s strong potential as high-value product both at the local and international markets and the need to increase the level of competitiveness of the industry in the region, a study of the muscovado sugar value chain was conducted. The documentation of the regional muscovado sugar value chain will serve as basis in determining the future interventions that will strengthen the industry. Primary data was gathered from numerous focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and expert opinions, as well as secondary data from published government reports, industry updates, and academic journals. Results show that the strategic productivity of the muscovado sugar value chain varies across the differentprovinces in the region: (1) a highly fragmented muscovado sugar industry in Antique characterized by low product differentiation and loose integrations, and (2) the relatively rationalized industry in the provinces of Capiz, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental distinguished by product differentiation and a higher level of horizontal and vertical integrations. Based on the result of the study, the following are recommended: the crafting of provincespecific strategies that will address the peculiarities in the area, market expansion to serve the high-end market, improvement in operational efficiency particularly at the production and processing levels, as well as investment in human capital for sustained level of competitiveness

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

Karakterisasi dan Evalusasi Kinerja Ekstrak Tanin dari Daun Teh (Camellia sinensis L.) Terimobilisasi pada Lempung Aktif (Activated Clay) untuk Penyisihan Kromium Heksavalen

Teh merupakan sebuah minuman yang paling banyak untuk dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat. Menurut studi penelitian, teh mengandung senyawa tanin yang cukup banyak. Tanin sendiri merupakan senyawa dengan ikatan kimia hidroksil atau disebut fenol yang dapat menjadi solusi dalam pengolahan dan penyisihan logam berat (Kunnambath dan Thirumalaisamy, 2014). Kromium Heksavalen merupakan salah satu bentuk logam kromium yang bersifat beracun. Oleh karena itu dibutuhkan pengolahan kromium heksavalen ini salah satunya dengan pemanfaatan tanin dalam teh. Berdasarkan penelitian terdahulu dari Li et al. (2012), tanin diketahui dapat mengelat logam berat seperti kromium. Hal ini dikarenakan tanin memiliki kandungan ikatan hidroksi fenol dalam molekulnya. Penelitian ini dilakukan secara eksperimental di Laboratorium. Percobaan dilakukan dengan melakukan ekstraksi tanin dari daun teh secara maserasi. Kemudian filtrat diproses dan diimobilisasi ke dalam lempung yang telah di aktivasi. Hasil imobilisasi digunakan untuk adsorpsi limbah artifisial kromium heksavalen dengan sistem batch. Karakteristik lempung aktif yang terimobilisasi adalah berwarna hijau muda, berbentuk serbuk, dan berbau. Penelitian ini menggunakan variasi konsentrasi limbah 10, 40, 70, dan 100 ppm dengan variasi waktu kontak 15, 30, 60, 120, dan 180 menit. Dari hasil percobaan, diketahui bahwa waktu kontak dan konsentrasi kromium heksavalen berpengaruh terhadap proses penyisihan dan keduanya berhubungan lurus. Efektivitas penyisihan tertinggi didapatkan pada konsentrasi awal 100 ppm dengan waktu kontak 180 menit yaitu sebesar 68,816 ppm sedangkan untuk efisiensi penyisihan terbesar pada konsentrasi 10 ppm dengan waktu kontak 180 menit sebesar 99,271%. Model isoterm yang sesuai dengan penelitian ini adalah model isoterm Langmuir dengan nilai regresi (R2) terbesar pada penyisihan konsentrasi 10 ppm dengan nilai 0,998. Kemudian model kinetika adsorpsi mengikuti ordo pertama pada konsentrasi 70 dan 100 ppm dan ordo kedua pada konsentrasi 10 dan 40 ppm. Pengujian Scanning Electrone Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) menunjukkan bahwa partikel adsorben lempung aktif sesudah pengontakan cenderung lebih besar dibandingkan sebelum perlakuan karena adanya ikatan dengan unsur-unsur lai

Service quality of 5 major sectors in Singapore.

Identification of the weaknesses in service of the 5 sectors; Banking, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Public Transport and Retail. An analysis of the root causes to these weaknesses. Re-enactments of bad and good services in video

Understanding the Dynamics Governing the Supply and Demand of Native Chicken in Western Visayas, Philippines

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Economic, Socio-Demographic and Psychographic Determinants of Milkfish Consumer Demand, Iloilo Province, Philippines

This paper attempts to identify the factors that affect the demand for milkfish in Iloilo Province and consequently suggest improvement in the overall competitiveness of the local milkfish industry. Knowing the determinants of demand will guide economic agents to deliver products consistent with specifications desired by consumers. The paper is based on a research conducted in the Province of Iloilo, Philippines using primary data gathered through personal interview of 378 purchase–decision makers. Employing the two-stage least squares method, endogeneity in the model was corrected using an instrumental variable approach. Per capita consumption of milkfish was estimated for the parameters of hypothesized determinants including economic, socio-demographic, and psychographic/behavioral characteristics relating to consumption trends. Demand determinants that were found significant are prices of beef and tilapia; educational attainment, gender and age of the purchase decision-maker, and household size; and psychographics relating to food safety and product traceability. It is recommended that adjustments in production and marketing operations be made to improve the overall competitiveness of the milkfish industry. These are: 1) improvement in production efficiency to reduce cost and be able to sell milkfish at competitive price, 2) adoption of proper postharvest handling practices that preserve the good quality of milkfish, 3) value addition by transforming milkfish into deboned and other processed products, and (4) product labeling to communicate Iloilo origin or product traceability to consumer