PIDS wants online repository for local food manufacturers

State-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) urged the government to create a central online repository of technology information for food manufacturers nationwide.

PIDS said this technology transfer can occur between large and small food small and medium  enterprises or two small SMEs. It can also occur between local and foreign firms.

This, the study said, will not only address the lack of government support for technology transfers but also fragmented promotional activities of the government.

It has long been recognized that the Philippines face the greatest challenge in the area of technology development and acquisition, and this is particularly true in the case of the Philippine SMEs.

The study said the online repository can be patterned after the Apec Centre for Technology Exchange and Training for Small and Medium Enterprises (Actetsme).

The Actetsme was initiated by the Philippine government to harness the resources of Apec member-economies to support the growth and sustainability of SMEs in the region.

The program, managed by the College of Economics and Management of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, aims to promote and facilitate technology exchange and training among SMEs in the Apec region.

The prevailing impression is that promotional activities of different government agencies are fragmented, hence, a central online repository of technology information similar to that offered by Actetsme should be encouraged,” the study read.

The PIDS study said such a repository will be of significant help to food manufacturers, which account for about 39 percent of the country manufacturing sector.

The food manufacturing sector composes 39 percent of establishments in the manufacturing industry, or 9,891 out of 25,064 total establishments in 2012.

Of the food manufacturing establishments, about 95 percent are SMEs. Large local Filipino players include San Miguel Corporation and Universal Robina Corporation, and Monde Nissin Corporation while top foreign players include Nestle, Dole, and Del Monte.

The data indicate that manufacture of other food products has the highest number of establishments at 7,407 followed by manufacture of grain mill and starch products at 1,237.