GSMI Promotes Cassava Farming in Negros Island

GSMI, one of the largest alcohol producers and spirits manufacturing in the archipelago homes its largest alcohol distillery, largest in the Philippines, in Km. 13.5, Barangay Taloc, Bago City, Negros Occidental. The distillery's name is Distilleria Bago Incorporated (DBI). There are four (4) factories that are operating day in and day out only stopping for a brief moment for maintenance, just imagine the volume of raw materials being used! Speaking of raw materials, the distilleriy's main ingredient for alcohol production is "Molasses"(mo·las·ses), a thick syrup produced in refining raw sugar, hence three(3) homongous distilling columns use molasses as raw material. The fourth distilling column (as big as the molasses distilling columns) uses "dried cassava chips" as raw materials. Due to lack of availability of raw materials(cassava chips) in the Philippines, GSMI has to source dried cassava chips in Thailand and vietnam. The distillery's cassava chips requirement year round is equall to about 4,000 to 5,000 hectares of cassava plantations or farms. GSMI's Business Farming Unit long term goal is to have cassava chips sourced locally. GSMI believes that there is a great positive impact on the economy if all its cassava requirements are bought locally. As Mr. Red Galura said, "Our Philippine peso will no longer have to get out of the country, our customers which are Filipino will buy our product and the money will go to more cassava chips producers which are our customers and so on and so forth giving way to more job opportunities in the countryside." That being said, GSMI is inviting farmers from Negros Island to plant cassava and process them into dried cassava chips by sun drying. Marginal lands, or lands that are not used or maximized can be planted with cassava, it is possible because of its low production cost. GSMI offers free high yielding cassava planting materials and distillery's organic residue for those who are interested to plant in Negros Island. For those Negrense who are interested in the cassava business, you can send your queries to hts.gsmi@yahoo.com or you can leave your posts here under the comments section.

GSMI's Cassava Farming Program @ Organic Farmers Festival

The 5th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival will be celebrated on December 2-4, 2010 at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol Social Hall to celebrate the gains of local organic food stakeholders.

In connection with this, please also visit our symposium: Ginebra San Miguel’s Cassava Farming Program at the 2^nd Floor of Sweet City Captel (Gatuslao St. cor. N. Capitol Rd.) on December 2, 2010 from 1 – 5pm.

This talk will feature the sustainability and profitability of cassava farming for the Negros Island and Ginebra San Miguel’s program to spur rural development and employment, fight hunger and alleviate rural poverty throughout the province.

Prizes await early bird participants. Snacks will be served as well.

Let us all work together for sustainable “balanghoy” farming throughout Negros. For interested parties please contact 0917-569-8721 (look for Ed) or 0906-217-4309 (look for Van).



About GSMI Business Farming

Everyone has heard of the popular folksong Magtanim ay di biro but only GSMI’s Business Farming Unit knows exactly what it means. Business farming entails a lot of hard work - whether in the form of long, grueling nights in the office; tough, demanding terrains while traveling or blistering and lengthy walks during field days. They say you reap what you sow; but in the case of GSMI’s farming program the rewards continue to grow and multiply in every harvest.

The farming program has collected significant achievements since it started in 2009. It was established as part of SMC’s strategic initiative to conduct its own farming activities to ensure availability, affordability and quality of raw materials for alcohol production. Simply stated, the Business Farming Unit is in charge of cassava and sugarcane production - from selection and preparation of land and planting material to planting and fertilization all the way to harvesting, delivery and transport.

The business of farming requires a suitable mix of science and practicality. The farming team, therefore, is a blend of individuals who came from different academic backgrounds. Their differences enable them to each contribute a piece to the puzzle that is farming. This hardworking and fun-loving bunch is guided by Mr. Redentor Galura, theBusiness Farming Operations Manager w/ the support of Mr. Joel B. Gueverra (Luzon Operations Head) and Mr. Edmundo Yongque (Western Visayas Operations Head}.

Today, Business Farming continues its thrust towards sustainable agriculture with demo farms in Tarlac and Negros Occidental and towards expansion programs in Northern Luzon. They are also looking into the feasibility of using sweet sorghum as another raw material for alcohol production. The Business Farming Unit has helped improve the lives and promote social entrepreneurship among our Kabarangays (the local farmers). With regular tie-ups with LGUs and farming groups, the program has also facilitated loyalty to San Miguel products from the host barangays.

With the group’s hardships and highlights, Business Farming has definitely proven that they are not just a promising GSMI venture. Through their unbreakable spirit, the Business Farming Unit has established themselves at the core of the company’s business operations.