LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PIA) — Farmers in Benguet expressed optimism that the government will help in buying their excess produce amid challenges brought by the ongoing oil crisis.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier said that the Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with local government units, will purchase the excess production of farmers so their harvests will not be wasted and they will not incur losses.
“Salamat kung tutuparin ni BBM ang sinabi niya kasi kawawa ang mga magsasaka,” farmer Arisa Dulinen said.
Farmer Hazel Basquial added that they are thankful for the government intervention, but are appealing that agencies and LGUs directly purchase farmers’ produce from the farms in the provinces, given the current high fuel costs.
“Kung puwedeng bilhin ‘yung mga gulay na kukunin sa mga probinsiya kasi kahit dalhin nila dito ‘yung gulay nila kung mura din lang bibilhin, wala din kasi mapupunta lang din sa krudo, walang babalik na expenses, wala ring kita kaya dapat magtulungan lahat kung paano reresolbahin ang problema sa gasolina, sa mga expenses, at tsaka sa babalik sa mga farmers,” Basquial said.
“Mapanda alaen idjay garden ta haan nga maani produkto ta nangina gasoline wenno krudo ken uray dagiti magatang, sunga han nga agsubli dagiti capital … kakaasi nga talaga ti farmer, adu ti na-bankrupt ita nga krisis,” added Jaren Butag, also a farmer.
The DA Cordillera has been actively helping farmers in marketing their produce.
DA-CAR Regional Director Jennilyn Dawayan said they have already coordinated with the local government units and farmers cooperatives and associations that were provided with trucks to allow the farmers to use them in delivering their produce to the market. This is in addition to the three trucks owned by DA-CAR.
Dawayan said that they are also linking the farmers to potential buyers and market opportunities.
“We have actually coordinated with the municipal agriculture offices through the group chats that we have to inform us of those produce na at-risk na masasayang and of course, ‘yung mga harvestable already, mga ilang tons, and then what we do is we look for buyers or institutional partners who can buy this one kasi mahirap din naman na papapuntahin dito pero walang bibili,” Dawayan said.
She also urged companies that are in need of vegetables to coordinate with the DA-CAR so they can be directly connected to the farmers. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
