At the southern tip of the Philippines, Agri Exim Global Philippines, Inc. is quietly transforming the agricultural landscape of Mindanao while making a significant global impact. This purpose-driven agricultural exporter has grown from modest beginnings into a major player in the organic and conventional agricultural products sector, connecting local smallholder farmers to international markets. Central to Agri Exim’s success is its commitment to sustainability, community empowerment, and the effective use of digital connectivity, provided by PLDT Enterprise.
Agri Exim operates on a triple bottom line framework—balancing economic viability, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. With over 100,000 certified organic farmers across multiple continents and more than 4,500 in the Philippines alone, the company cultivates more than 17,500 hectares under its organic program. Its product range includes virgin coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut water and concentrates, coconut milk and cream, and refined oils. Rooted in the ethos of ethical sourcing and transparent governance, Agri Exim aims to be the most trusted provider of organic and sustainable food ingredients worldwide.
Kareen Grace Lacorte, Lead Business HR at Agri Exim, expressed pride in the company’s community-focused mission, highlighting the generation of over a thousand jobs within a decade—a testament to the firm’s role in local economic development. Gerard John Deriada, Materials Management Department Manager, underscored the resilience of Agri Exim, noting that the company not only survived but expanded during the pandemic, continuing its hiring spree and operations when many industries faltered.
Crucially, this resilience has been bolstered by digital transformation enabled by PLDT Enterprise. Deriada detailed how the implementation of an ERP system, powered by reliable digital connectivity, has revolutionised operations through real-time reporting and process streamlining. This technology has facilitated faster feedback loops with local and international stakeholders and enhanced decision-making. Prior to this collaboration, connectivity challenges hampered growth and responsiveness.
PLDT Enterprise’s role extends beyond mere connectivity to empowering field communications, agricultural mapping, and harvest coordination. This integration of technology into Agri Exim’s processes has not only optimised logistics but also improved human resource functions, allowing seamless virtual hiring and interviews. Lacorte noted that overcoming network limitations was essential to engaging digitally savvy candidates and building a modern workforce.
This digital push aligns with broader initiatives by PLDT and Smart Communications to digitalise the agricultural sector in the Philippines. In 2023 alone, their Digital Farmers Program trained nearly 2,800 farmers and agricultural workers, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. These capacity-building efforts, undertaken in collaboration with government bodies like the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture, promote productivity and income growth by integrating farmers into the digital economy. Complementary to this, the #BuyLocal program connects farmers directly to buyers, ensuring fair prices and sustainable community development.
Further underscoring PLDT Enterprise’s commitment, their advanced network solutions—including dedicated internet access and Metro Ethernet—are tailored to support complex, data-driven supply chains like Agri Exim’s. This is evident in recent partnerships with other agricultural companies, offering high-performance connectivity to uphold quality and sustainability standards.
In Davao, where Agri Exim operates, PLDT and Smart Communications have also been instrumental in training over 300 cacao farmers in digital farm management tools, encompassing weather tracking, financial management, and direct sales platforms. Such initiatives exemplify how technology integration is reshaping traditional farming practices across the region.
Jay Lagdameo, Vice President and Head of Enterprise Revenue Group at PLDT Enterprise, summed up the broader significance of these efforts: digital solutions are vital to transforming traditional industries, enabling real-time coordination, quicker decisions, and wider market access. He reinforced PLDT Enterprise’s pride in supporting Agri Exim’s mission to elevate Filipino farmers onto the global stage.
Looking ahead, Agri Exim stands as a model of sustainable, community-based agriculture amplified by technology. Its partnership with PLDT Enterprise ensures that this vision remains well-supported and digitally connected, securing ongoing growth and impact. The company’s story demonstrates how innovation and purpose can unite to drive both local empowerment and global competitiveness in the agricultural sector.
For those interested in a deeper dive into Agri Exim’s journey and technological transformation, the story is featured on ROI’d to Success, available on Spotify via Hustleshare. This narrative reflects a powerful example of digital connectivity empowering rural communities and sustainable business practices in the Philippines’ agricultural heartland.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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