Revive Food Terminal! “Kaya Natin Tapatan Presyo Ng Imported Na Mga Gulay!”

La Trinidad, Benguet – On the first day of my journey all over the country yesterday, I visited the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center in La Trinidad, Benguet and met with vegetable farmer-leaders.

This was the same facility which was a White Elephant when I was appointed Agriculture Secretary.

Built at a cost of P800-M, no vegetable farmer was delivering his produce to the area.

After a series of consultations with the farmers and local officials, we were able to make it work.

Kahapon, I talked to some Benguet vegetable farmers who had been complaining about the smuggling of Chinese vegetables which consumers said were cheaper.

Hindi ako naniniwala na mas mura ang gulay mula China because smuggled carrots are sold at P50 in the market.

Tinanong ko ang mga farmers sa Benguet, sa P20 daw masaya na sila at may kita na.

Ang problema ng supply ng pagkain natin ay hindi sa side ng mga farmers na tinatawag ng ibang mga lider na natin na hindi daw competitive.

Mababa ang production cost ng mga gulay natin.

Ang carrots sa Bukidnon, for example, laban ang mga farmers sa presyong P15 per kilo.

Pero pagdating sa merkado aabot na ng P80 hanggang P100, tapos sisihin ang mga magsasaka na hindi daw competitive kasi mahal ang produkto.

Actually, hindi magsasaka ang problem kundi ang mga tao na nagpapasa-pasa ng mga gulay mula BAPTC hanggang merkado.

Since it was raining yesterday, I promised the vegetable farmers I would come back this morning.

I would like to discuss with them one of the major reforms which I would like to introduce to stabilize the prices of agricultural products, the implementation of the Regional Food Consolidation, Processing and Distribution Terminals to be operated by the Food Terminal Inc.

In my concept, hindi na kailangan pa pahirapan si farmer na maghanap ng merkado ng kanyang produkto. He should be engaged by FTI to produce a specific commodity at a set price.

Si FTI, a government corporation, ang bibili and mag-distribute ng products to other Regional Food Terminals where these are in short supply.

I call this strategy Food Re-positioning and Distribution.

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

(Photos of Nueva Viscaya tomatos being dumped and smuggled Chinese carrots were downloaded from public websites. The other photos show me with Benguet vegetable farmer leaders. Photos by Mayette Tudlas.)