The government will be establishing two Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Trading Centers (FFTC) in key areas outside Metro Manila in an effort to provide a facility for food producers coming from the Northern and Southern regions of Luzon.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol made the announcement during his visit to the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to meet with the local chief executives of Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Ifugao, and Apayao.
“We are looking at Taguig City as one possible location for a center that will serve farmers from Bicol, Quezon and other food producing provinces south of Luzon,” he said.
During the dialogue, held at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center on August 11, 2016, Piñol stressed the importance of establishing FFTC’s near Metro Manila where farmers can easily deliver and market their produce.
“Farmers need to have a steady location where they can bring in their produce and meet traders,” Piñol said.
He added that after the clearing operations of the City Government of Manila in Divisoria, many vegetable vendors were displaced. What I saw then was not crisis, but opportunity,” he said.
DA is now on the planning stage for the trading centers, initially conducting consultations with stakeholders involved in the project.
During his trip to Benguet, Piñol asked the vegetable producers of CAR if they are amenable to the idea.
“Para po hindi na rin naglalako ang mga farmers ng kanilang mga ani sa Maynila, magtatayo po tayo ng sentro na mapagdadalan nila malapit sa Maynila,” he said.
For produce coming from the North, Piñol is eyeing Meycauayan in Bulacan and Valenzuela City as possible locations for the trading infra.
“I will still be discussing this with Art Tugade, but there is an old PNR (Philippine National Railways) facility in Bulacan which can be used,” he said.
Piñol added that Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano has already approved the idea and is looking forward to the collaboration, which follows the concept of the Food Terminal Incorporated.
The agri chief, however stressed that since the trading centers may take time to establish, DA may set up temporary parabolic tents in the meantime to serve the same purpose.
“To quickly serve our farmers, we may set up temporary tents at the Bureau of Plant Industry compound in San Andres, Manila for the meantime,” he added. ### (oda rodriguez/DA-AFID)