P600-B GRDP for Caraga possible in 10 years, says DTI regional chief

P600-B GRDP for Caraga possible in 10 years, says DTI regional chief Regional News

BUTUAN CITY - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) revealed that Caraga region will reach a targeted P600-billion gross regional domestic product (GRDP) within 10 years if potential productivity of agriculture, forestry, and fishery sectors is maximized.

DTI-Caraga Regional Director Brielgo O. Pagaran said that from its creation, the region started with only P29-billion GRDP in 1994 and reached P100-billion in 2019.

“If we dream of prosperity for all, we should set a target; if you cannot quantify, you cannot target,” Pagaran said.

He also pointed out that with a total land area of more than 2-million hectares, Caraga will yield great productivity potentials through quantifying a macro-development plan. industry will earn Caraga an estimated P540-billion productivity. This was after considering the region’s capacity to produce bamboo and bay-ang for chopsticks, wood for biomass, and plywood, among others.

An additional P800-million is also expected from the fisheries industry especially through the utilization of mariculture park zones.

Pagaran is hopeful that with the programs of DTI and support from the local government units and regional line agencies, the 28 percent poverty incidence in the region will drop.

Pagaran further explained that for agro-industry alone, the 600-thousand hectare agricultural land can generate P60-billion, summing up the P50,000 annual productivity per hectare and the value added pegged at 100 percent.

The region’s top DTI official also sees that the potential of the forestry In fact, to provide a holistic approach toward agroagri productivity, DTI Caraga conceptualized and initiated Palm Oil and Agricultural Land Management for Economic Re-integration and Sustainability (PALMERS) which is a development model and framework to develop, expand, rehabilitate and replant palm oil areas.