The Philippines is poised to play a role in the global horticulture industry and tap into its market worth billions of dollars, as the government through the Department of Agriculture (DA) gears to expansively help local growers beef up their production.

At the launch of the May 3-5 “Pagsibol: Philippine Horticulture and Urban Agriculture Summit” organized by the DA and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in Makati City, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. shared that he sees a promising future for the Philippines’ active participation in the said international industry.

The Philippines can also supply plants for landscaping, the DA chief said, noting, “I was told that for landscaping, there is lack of supply versus demand so there’s still a good opportunity for us in that field.”

He likewise cited as an advantage that many Filipinos have “green thumbs” or have the natural abilities to grow plants.

Pagsibol, a three-day conference and exhibit, was organized to create a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, innovation, and collective action among key stakeholders for the growth of the Philippine agriculture sector.

Laurel highlighted the role of horticulture and urban agriculture in food security, economic growth and sustainability.

“Horticulture, with its focus on cultivation of high-value crops and ornamentals, offers a pathway to diversity. Our agricultural landscape is limited as of the moment, and that with this, we will definitely diversify and meet the evolving demands of domestic and international markets,” he said.

“Urban agriculture, on the other hand, represents a modern adaptation of traditional practices. It presents a unique opportunity to reimagine the role of urban spaces in our agricultural system and harness the capacity of idle lands into centers of food and land production,” he added.

Bureau of Plant and Industry Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, for his part, disclosed that they are looking at ways on how to scale up production of high-value crops especially ornamental plants.

“Globally, it’s a billion-dollar industry. Based on experience, there’s a huge potential because Filipinos love horticulture, we love taking care of plants,” Panganiban stated.

He added, “We have a lot of high-value crops and ornamentals, and with the support of the government and with private sector collaboration, we can scale it up because we have the talent to do it and the technologies are here.”

The government intends to invest in greenhouses and irrigation technologies for this initiative on horticulture, Panganiban said.

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