Mary Jane P.

Legaspi LS 10 Section D

February 27, 2013 Take Home Quiz

Power of Pili Nuts

Pili Nut Tree, also known as Stress Loving Tree is now the flagship crop and industry of the Bicol Region. To be called as the stress loving tree proves that Pili has been through a number of ups and downs. First, one of its natural environment is in the Bicol area, where typhoon is very rampant, but this is not a negative thing for the Pili nuts but instead a good thing, as they love to grow in windy areas and do bear more during these times. Aside from the helpful physical stress, Pili as a crop has been treated as an ordinary plant growing from the soil of Bicol. It has never been very special for many. They see it as a simple nut. But agricultural workers and landowners envision these nuts to be out of the ordinary. Department of Agriculture has also seen the potential in these lowly growing crops. Porters Diamond or the Four Determinants of Competitive National Advantage can be used to evaluate how far these nuts have gone. The diamond which has four basic elements namely, Structure of Firms and Industry, Demand Condition, Factor Condition and Related and Supporting Industries shows aspects of the industry which can make it more competitive not just locally but internationally. Two of these determinants will be used in analyzing the Pili Nut industrys potential to compete globally. Having these information will then make us more convinced that the future of the Bicol region and even our whole country can be lying in these nuts. Having analyzed certain strengths, we then encourage the government to further help the growing industry.

Demand Conditions In the Philippines, Pili nuts are just the ordinary nuts and sweet delights we often eat during merienda or snack time. It is one of the usual foods we munch on whenever we travel or just lie on the bed and watch television. The taste of pili nuts is so ordinary. But Jose Dayao, Department of Agricultures regional executive director is confident enough to say that we can compete and export our Pili nuts abroad. He also then exclaimed how the United States imports millions of tons of almonds and other nuts and this can be our avenue or pathway to that goal. The Philippines can improve these Pili nuts to high-quality ones which would highly attract Americans to import from us. And this vision has then come to life, when during the 38th Annual Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, just this 16th day of February 2013, the Pili nut of the Philippines is much appreciated by many. Engr. Jocelyn Blanco, Department of Trade and Industrys regional director (Region V) together with with Melchor Aguilar, chief of the business development division found it very successful because of importers and distributors second look into our pili nuts. People in the Expo are very interested in variations pili nuts have to offer like crispy pili with honey, salted garlic pili, roasted sesame-covered pili and the oldtime favorite mazapan de pili. This Expo provided a place for our pili nuts to be known and recognize by many food enthusiasts. This event has then put pili nuts out of the ordinary. This proves that we can really compete and attract different people around the world to taste our food and soon be its consumers. Knowing how Americans crave for nuts, as they tend to import a lot of it from other

countries, the exposure of our distinguishable pili nut will make them more likely to import from us and make them as one of our international consumers. Related and Supporting Industries Pili nut as an industry can never stand alone. It does need help from other industries to supply and fill in their lack. First, as a crop, this industry helps the agricultural industry, providing more livelihood to people. Having such demand, Philippines will then need more and more farmers planting Pili nuts. Because Pili nuts have attracted so much food enthusiasts in the Expo, Heavenly Signature Ice cream of San Jose, California created their newest flavors in their ice
cream, inspired by our very own Pili nuts namely, the Honey-Coated Pili Nut Ice Cream and

Caramel Crunch Pili Nut Ice Cream. These exciting new flavors promote the beautiful tandem of our Pili nuts and ice cream. With this, ice cream industry can also be a supporting industry for the Pili nuts. This then can attract more local and international ice cream brands to then try mixing pili nuts to their ice creams and producing more fun flavors.

Challenges Naturally, Pili nuts grow after every seven years. This becomes a challenge for the production of these nuts. But then the government has established more and more innovative ways to solve this problem. These pili nut trees can now then produce crops three to five years. The government has also been working out on the processing and packaging of the products for the product to be well-presented as we import this abroad. More and more funded research to improve the quality of pili nuts, which can make them competitive in the world market, is needed. Another challenge is the funds for sustaining the industry and preventing it from exploitation.

All of these challenges are all solvable. The Philippines just needs a more proactive government in terms of this kind of issue in improving the potential of the product. The government does not need to be afraid of providing funds in this deserving industry. We have already seen the potential, we just need to improve it! The government, most especially the Department of Agriculture shall be very active in exposing the Pili Nuts to different food conferences and fairs. These can provide the pathway for us to soon go internationally. We must cater more to our possible consumers. The government should also encourage Filipinos to promote the Pili nuts and not just view it as an ordinary product of the country. We have to something great behind it before we can actually do more. These pili nuts are not just any other nuts, coming from its name, its one of those piling pili (chosen) which can present itself internationally and as a country we should never let an opportunity like this to just fade away. We must own it. We must own the power of this Pili nuts!

Sources: Freza Plaza. Philippines: Bicolanos now see Pili Nut as a potential major industry. 2009. Web.
<http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=41599>

Chavez, Esther. Fancy that pili nut!. Inquirer.net, 2013. Web. <http://globalnation.inquirer.net/64651/fancy-that-pili-nut>