IT has become commonplace among our policymakers and media practitioners to complain why we keep on importing our food and agricultural requirements when the Philippines is an "agricultural country." Ostensibly, the complaint betrays ignorance on the nature of the Philippine economy.

A quick glance at official statistics regarding the composition of our economy will reveal that agriculture, fishery and forestry (AFF) contributes around 10 percent to our gross domestic product (GDP), industry and trade 30 percent, and services around 60 percent. How can a country with its agricultural sector contributing just 10 percent to the GDP be classified as a predominantly agricultural country?

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