02 April 2020

PH Soybeans For Export To Japan: It’s A Deal! Or Is It?


Excitedly, Joel Mapiles of PNA wrote last month, 26 February 2020: “Farmers Urged To Plant Soybean To Meet High Export Demand[1].” I quote from 3 of his first paragraphs:

Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar (center) leads the harvest of edamame or young soybean in Barangay Talipapa, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2020). This is the first harvest of edamame in the country. 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has encouraged farmers to plant edamame or young soybean, citing its fast-growing demand in the export market.

DA Secretary William Dar said edamame is the best alternative high-value crop from which farmers can earn high income.

I have been formally trained to be a teacher in agriculture and have trained in digital journalism on my own, with my blogging I have pledged to support The New PH Agriculture under Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie, and just 4 days ago started this new blog PAJacks – with the long name Philippine Agricultural Journalists Advancing Agriculture Aided By Community Knowledge & Science – in earnest to help PH journalists help PH Agriculture survive the hard times and win in the war for Masaganang Ani At Mataas Na Kita (Bounteous Harvests & Bountiful Incomes, my translation), I will now point out some PAJacks lessons in accuracy, where many journalists fail.

(1)   Titles: William Dar is not the “Department of Agriculture Secretary” – he is the Secretary of Agriculture and, ex-officio, Department Head of the DA. That’s 2 mistakes. Please check the facts, so that we can trust you with your report.

(2)   Planting soybeans:The DA “has encouraged farmers to plant edamame or young soybean…” A biological mistake. Instead of edamame, you plant soybean seeds and harvest the pods youngwith the stem; that is what is referred to as edamameeda refers to the stem and mame refers to the beans (Wikipedia[2]).

(3)   Demand for soybeans:“… fast-growing demand in the export market.” You have no report referred to for this claim. You cannot encourage farmers to plant soybeans commercially for the edamame without showing them data on “export demand.”

(4)   Alternative high-value crop:The Secretary said “edamame is the best alternative high-value crop from which farmers can earn high income.” He is talking of alternative crops – now, which ones are those so that any farmer can compare?

(5)   Earning high income:
What do you mean “high income”? You have to give some exact comparative figures to be believable.

And now the context of the report.

Manong Willie was talking of edamame in relation to crop rotation – that is to say, planted after rice. Crop rotation is a huge deal in agriculture.

He also said, “We are in full support (of) this endeavor because farmers will be given the chance to get rich.” Did you notice? “Given the chance to get rich” – with the likes of private investors like Top Shelf Corporation, North Luzon Farmers’ Cooperative, and Golden Beans and Grains Producers Cooperative.

Without such partnership, there is no edamame export from Cabanatuan City!@517






[1] https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1094882
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edamame

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