It’s All About Profit! Market Is Critical Factor In Agricultural Production

On the way back to Kidapawan City yesterday after an overnight stay in the highlands of Alamada, North Cotabato, I and the team of media men and visitors from Luzon dropped by a 2-hectare Bell Pepper Farm at 1,000-meters-above-sea-level.
The farm is owned by Gerry “Bongki” Nonag, a former para-military member who turned to farming when peace reigned in the area.
“Bongki” showed us robust Ball Pepper and said that farmers like him could produce more if only they have an assured market.
When sold in nearby Midsayap town, a kilo of Bell Pepper sells at P80 while it is bought for P130 per kilo when delivered to Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City about 300 kilometers up north.
Market and a stable price are the most important factors in increasing agricultural productivity in the country.
When farmers do not make money, they will abandon farming, a story best shown by the recent Kalabasa farming failure suffered by farmers.
After farm gate prices dropped from P30 to P2 per kilo, farmers abandoned their Kalabasa to rot in the field and today nobody is planting Kalabasa anymore.
The best solution to this is the reactivation of the Food Terminal Inc. which would buy and reposition basic food commodities needed by Filipino families everyday.
These commodities could include rice, vegetables, chicken, meat, sugar, salt, cooking oil and fruits which FTI could buy directly from farmers and sold in outlets in the population centers.
This needs to be institutionalized, unlike the current Kadiwa Store Campaign which is intermittent and is more of a public relations stunt rather than a sustainable program which could withstand political changes.
Remember this: The Filipino farmers could produce and this country could achieve food sufficiency if only there is a system which assures farmers of profitability in their endeavors.
After all, Profitability is the best motivation for Productivity!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!