PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an intensified market linkages through contract farming with hotels, restaurants and other institutional buyers on the procurement of surplus harvests aims to improve the lives of Filipino farmers and fishers.

Marcos, concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) , issued the order as part of his administration’s commitment to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain, which begins from the food growers and producers down to the consumers, in order to ensure stable local food supply and likewise stabilize food prices.

Under the intensified market linkages, relevant assistance and interventions will be provided to facilitate the transport of produce to areas where these are in demand, with zero to minimal wastage and supply excess of agricultural goods.

A more efficient food mobilization strategy aimed at preventing oversupply of produce and loss of income for local farmers is among the main thrusts of the DA under the leadership of President Marcos, which will be realized through the distribution of delivery trucks and vegetable crates to more farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and municipalities under the agency’s Enhanced KADIWA Grant.

In 2022, the DA listed ten municipalities as beneficiaries of the said grant.

Meanwhile, the DA is now investigating on the reports on the dumping of some 500 kilos of small tomatoes, valued at P8.00 – P12.00 per kilo, from the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Trading (NVAT) on Jan. 25, 2023.

NVAT Marketing Officer Julio Basilan explained that when the price of tomato ranges between the said value, it is but natural for buyers to prefer the larger-sized produce.

The retail price of tomatoes in Metro Manila markets, on the other hand, is between P25 to P60 per kilo as per the Feb. 2, 2023 price monitoring report of the DA Surveillance, Monitoring, and Enforcement Group (SMEG).

AUTHOR PROFILE

Cory Martinez