Calata: Soil Testing Facilities to Aid Farmers

According to a study by the Population Resources Bureau that more than half of the total of poor Filipinos depends on agriculture. Most provinces are still abundant with agriculture and depend on it to fend for themselves, which is why one can say that the Philippines is an agriculture-dependent country. It is also stated that food crops, especially rice and corn, continue to be the major contributors to agriculture's gross value added and have become the major source of growth. That being said, farmers should be extra careful with their harvests.

However, recent findings show that the use of incompatible farm materials such as fertilizers have resulted to high expenses but reduced harvests for farmers. This can also lead to irreparable damage to the soil. This can be a problem not only for farmers but also to everyone since we all depend on what our farms produce.

Joseph Calata, the 31-year-old CEO of Calata Corporation, aims to help farmers solve this problem by means of a soil testing facility. This technology will help prevent farmers, specifically rice and corn farmers, from using fertilizers that are not compatible with their farms that may lead to the aforementioned problems. With this, farmers can expect to generate more savings and raise their income through wisely using their farm inputs.

This act shows that Calata is trying to show leadership on his chosen field as he tries to help others under agriculture, including farmers, by familiarizing them on how to use modern agricultural technology. This may be the first time that farmers will be exposed to such technology and would be a great help for their production. The best part about this service is not only will there be soil-testing facilities in all of Calata's stores, but also farmers can use them for free.

The 10-year-old Calata Corporation started with a traditional store and grew to become a big enterprise thanks to Joseph Calata who aimed to computerize their sales and accounting which is one of the reasons that led to the success. Recently, his company became the biggest IPO (Initial Public Offering) in the Philippine Stock Exchange with its sky-high shares that brought it to reach a market cap of P4B. It also became the biggest distributor of agricultural products in the country.

This action by Joseph Calata does not only show that he strives to be a leader in the agricultural industry for the benefit of his slowly growing company, but he also wants to do this in a way that would help other industries as well, whether they be big or small.