Dutch firms ‘willing to join’ Clark’s Food Hub

Dutch firms ‘willing to join’ Clark’s Food Hub | Daily Tribune

Dutch companies that joined the meeting with the Philippine delegation in The Hague, Netherlands recently expressed willingness to join the Philippine government project to establish a National Food Hub in Clark, Pampanga.

Last August 2023, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the Three-year Food Logistics Action Agenda presented by Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual that sought to revolutionize food distribution network in the country.

The establishment of a National Food Hub in Clark is an actualization of the plan.

Meeting with the Philippine delegation last 8 May, Director-General for Foreign Economic Relations Michiel Sweers shared the Netherlands’ robust agricultural sector and innovative agrologistics capabilities.

“As a center of excellence in trade facilitation and technological innovation in the world, you are in the right place,” he said.

Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya received the delegation, while Commercial Counsellor Magnolia Misolas-Ashley facilitated discussions with Dutch officials led by Sweers, Deputy Director Jules Gerzon, and Special Agriculture Envoy Frederik-Vossenaar.

Ideal partner

“The Netherlands — as the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural and agriculture-related products, and consistently recognized as a premier logistics hotspot in Europe, consistently ranking high at the World Bank Logistics Performance Index — is an ideal partner for this endeavor,” Ambassador Malaya noted.

Further, Chair Saskia de Lang of the Philippine-Netherlands Business Council moderated the forum, with Aspire Asia CEO Matthys van der Lely sharing expertise in food hub establishment in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“We are pleased to be part of this initiative and to lend our expertise in this area,” Chair de Lang added.

The objectives of the Philippine delegation, composed of officials from DTI, Department of Agriculture, Clark International Airport Corporation, Bases Conversion and Development Authority, and the House of Representatives, included learning from Dutch stakeholders on how to shape the Clark National Food Hub’s development and fostering partnerships for agricultural and logistics investments.

“Aligned with the President’s goal of ensuring food security, this initiative will empower our farmers and the private sector, as well as strengthen our supply chain and logistics systems,” said the DTI chief.

Immense potential benefits

Also, during the discussion, Representative Rufus Rodriguez said that, “Establishing a National Food Hub holds immense potential benefits, from enhancing food security and stabilizing prices to promoting economic growth and fostering social stability.”

The statement was further supported by CIAC President Perez as he emphasized that Clark is honored to pioneer such a future-proofed food hub, following the vision of the President.

Dutch Agrologistics is a set of functions that ensure that the right product is delivered at the right time and under the right conditions to the customer while minimizing costs.

At the core of agrologistics is the (post-harvest) logistics in the agro chain (of food and related products), including: technology for activities in this logistics chain (e.g., temperature control, processing, transportation, storage, packaging, handling, etc.); products and materials required for logistics of agro products; and services related to logistics and logistics management, transportation, quality control, quality management, transaction facilitation (e.g., auctions), information technology and management, and financing.