LAMBIGIT (Centrist Democratic Movement Federation of the Philippines)

Cagayan de Oro City (9 July) -- Northern Mindanao's total value of exports loaded freight-on-board (FOB), amounted to US$199.11M during the first quarter of the year, up by 115.66 percent compared to US$92.36M during the same period, last year.

By FOB means the freight expenses of these exports were shouldered by the buyers in their countries of destination, Regional Director Alicia V. Eusena of the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI), region 10, said.

Contributing the biggest share to the total regional exports (TRE) was still the province of Misamis Oriental with US$112.27M or 56.37 percent, followed by Lanao del Norte, US$61.61M or 30.93 percent, Misamis Occidental, US$13.93M or 6.99 percent, Bukidnon, US$11.32M or 5.68 percent and Camiguin, US$0.05M or 0.03 percent.

As to classification by sector, however, coconut-based products valued at US$ 124.34M in FOB, which posted a 62.45 percent share in the TRE, topped the list of exports, during the period, Eusena said.

The rest of the sectors, their value in FOB and their respective share in the TRE were as follows: Processed foods, US$24.39M or 29.50 percent, industrial manufacturing, US$15.59M or 7.83 percent, other resource-based products, US$8.15.59M or 4.09 percent, iron and steel, US$6.85M or 3.44 percent and sugar, US$5.15M or 2.59 percent.

Rubber products, US$4.87M or 2.45 percent, wood and wood-based products, US$4.31M or 2.16 percent, fresh fruits, US$1.76M or 0.88 percent, frozen shrimps/prawns, US$1.37M or 0.69 percent, special transactions, US$1.24M or 0.62 percent, minerals, US$0.83M or 0.42 percent and gifts, toys and house wares, US$0.26M or 0.13 percent.

Meanwhile, increases in the value of FOB were noted on the following: Minerals, the highest, with 8,200 percent, followed by rubber products, 585.92 percent, iron and steel, 253.09 percent, special transactions, 129.63 percent, wood and wood-based products, 119.90 percent, sugar, 81.98 percent, frozen shrimps/prawns, 63.10 percent, coconut-based products, 24.34 percent and processed foods, 14.88 percent.