Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija – On the way to Maria Aurora town in Aurora Province today, I passed by stalls along the highway in Pantabangan selling Red Bulb Onions at P25 per kilo.
Maryanne Dacanay said the Onions came from a 200-square meter lot cultivated by her husband.
Maliliit ang sibuyas kasi kulang sa pataba dahil hindi kaya ng budget nila ang mataas na presyo ng abono.
The family decided to sell the Onions to motorists passing by because the traders would only buy their produce at P14 per kilo.
“Hindi kami makakabayad ng utang Sir, ang taas pa naman ng interes,” she told me.
Ito ang classic example ng mga problema ng agricultural producers.
Alam nila kung ano ang itatanim at paano itanim pero kulang sila sa access to credit at market.
Noong ako ang Agriculture Secretary, nag umpisa tayo ng Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) na nagbigay ng no-collateral loan at 2% interest per annum.
Maganda ang resulta at mataas ang repayment kaya lang noong umalis ako, binago ang programa.
We need to establish a real Farmers, Fishermen and Small Entrepreneurs Bank to help them.
For the marketing, we need to establish Food Terminal Inc. Food Consolidation Centers to buy farmers and fishermen’s produce with a pre-determined support price.
These innovations, however, could only be implemented through legislations which is really the reason why I am running for the Senate.
Kung walang tunay na magsasaka na magiging Senador, hinding hindi mapapakinggan ang hinagpis ng magsisibuyas ng Pantabangan at iba pang mga magsasaka at mangingisda.
(Video by Kath Frachesca Bahinting.)
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