News Details

PH Launches First Full-Scale Agri-Machinery Manufacturing Complex to Strengthen Food Security and Create Thousands of Jobs

NPO

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December 12, 2025

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the country’s first full-scale agricultural machinery manufacturing complex, soon to rise in Nueva Ecija, is poised to strengthen long-term food security and open thousands of new jobs for Filipinos.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the groundbreaking of the multi-phased Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Complex (KAMIC) on Wednesday. The facility marks the Philippines’ first comprehensive agri-machinery production hub, signaling a major step forward in modernizing the agriculture sector.

In a phone interview on Thursday, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the multi-billion-peso KAMIC project will boost productivity across key agricultural sectors.

“Our rice, corn, and high-value crops sectors will benefit greatly because these areas require modern equipment such as tractors, harvesters, cultivators, rice mills, corn mills, and many more,” de Mesa told the Philippine News Agency.

The complex is expected to provide significant employment opportunities from construction through its full completion in 2026, especially in assembly, fabrication, and engineering. “Initially, we expect around 3,000 to 5,000 jobs. Once fully operational, the complex may hire up to 10,000 workers across more than 20 facilities,” de Mesa added, noting that hiring may begin by the second or third quarter next year.

KAMIC will be developed in three phases:

• Phase 1: Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) Assembly

• Phase 2: Completely Knocked Down (CKD) Assembly

• Phase 3: Full Manufacturing Assembly

According to the DA, the 20-hectare complex will pave the way for advanced technology transfers and improved Filipino technical skills through Korea’s manufacturing expertise.

“This is a historic leap. For the first time, we are building not just a distribution base for imported machines, but a full local manufacturing ecosystem that will eventually produce equipment tailored specifically for Philippine agricultural conditions,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

He emphasized that South Korean technology transfer will enhance the capabilities of the local workforce and make mechanization more accessible to small and medium-scale farmers.

In the long term, Tiu Laurel noted that the project will significantly boost the administration’s food security goals. “This machinery complex is more than just a factory — it is the foundation of modern, competitive, and food-secure Philippine agriculture,” he said.

The complex is expected to contribute to higher rice productivity, reduced costs of machinery and spare parts, and the creation of new supply chains.

KAMIC will be developed in partnership with the local government of Cabanatuan City and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO).

NPO News Team | PNA-PR