Revive FTI! Transport Cost Jacks Up Prices Of Food Products

Last week, I received a call from a fraternity brother, Bobi Aceron, who is based in Bulalacao, Mindoro Oriental asking for help in selling the Onion production of their farmers here in Mindanao.
He said Onion farmers in Mindoro are crying over the very low buying price by traders at P30 to P35 per kilo.
When I checked the local prices in Mindanao, Onion sells for over P100 per kilo and so I got back to him and asked how much would be the trucking cost from Bulalacao to Davao City.
Bobi told me the truckers are charging P25 per kilo to transport Onion from Mindoro to Mindanao and that was when I realized that the transaction would not be viable.
Imagine this: P35 sa farm gate plus P25 sa trucking; then you have to pay the cold storage in Davao City; the transport from the Cold Storage to the market; the losses in damaged Onion; the risk of non-payment.
Gusto ko sana na tumulong pero hindi talaga viable.
So, I will again raise the suggestion that the Department of Agriculture should revive the Food Terminal Incorporated, a government controlled corporation tasked with the redistribution and marketing of basic food commodities established by former President Ferdinand Marcos over 60 years ago.
It is only FTI which could reposition basic food commodities in areas where these are needed to bring down prices of basic food commodities while ensuring farmers of a fair price for their produce.
Kung hindi gagawin ng gobyerno ang pag-revive ng FTI, patuloy na iiyak ang mga farmers dahil mura ang bili ng kanilang mga produkto.
The consumers, on the other hand, will suffer from the very high prices of basic food commodities.
Imagine: Sibuyas P35 per kilo sa Mindoro at P140 sa Mindanao?
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!