The title suggests the term “going bananas”, since growing bananas is an agri-business enterprise.

No, we need not be “going bananas” (an idiom that means getting crazy) when dealing with agri-business. In Eastern Visayas, going into agri-business is serious business.

Agricultural production accounts for thirty percent of our Gross Regional Domestic Product or the total production of goods and services in this region (or approximately P9 billion in 2005). Years and years ago, it used to be sixty percent. That has changed as industry and services have emerged as key producers.

As sure as the “sun rises in the east” there is considerable potential in agri-business. We have plenty of agricultural, fishery, and forest products that can be processed (this adds value to them, as economists would say) and sold in markets in the Philippines and abroad.

I have come across some interesting ones which are being tested at the Leyte State University (formerly VISCA) in Baybay, Leyte. These are on the processing of jackfruits, carabao milk, and potato. From Eastern Samar State University (with its main campus in Borongan, Eastern Samar): Eucheuma (seaweeds) and King Crabs.

In Calbayog City, the City government is promoting “tinapa” and in Northern Samar its pili nuts.

These technologies are ready for commercial production. We should go full speed ahead here.

There are many other examples in all the provinces of Eastern Visayas.

More joint efforts of national and local governments and the private sector will be needed to promote these products.

Let us make the world our market. From the economists’ point of view, since we have the raw materials then we have the “comparative advantage” that will enable us to compete.

Going agri-business? If you do, you won’t go bananas. You’ll be right on the money”, meaning – correct.