Benguet Trading Center now open to boost farmers’ income

Unscrupulous traders out 

By AM Bautista

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), opened last week, is set boost farmer’s income and the vegetable industry which supplies around 75 percent of vegetable needs of Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

La Trinidad Mayor Edna Tabanda bared this to farmers’ organizations, cooperatives, traders and disposers from Benguet and Bauko, Mt. Province who convened here recently at BAPTC grounds.

She said that BAPTC has long been a planned strategy of the government to help vegetable farmers and improve the trading system.

The establishment of BAPTC started in 2010, alongside 27 other trading centers constructed in the country.

Tabanda further urged farmers to trade and sell at the trading center, saying it offers benefits to them in the long run.

“At the BAPTC, prices are regulated which is an advantage to the farmer and consumer. Both the farmers and the traders will also be secured from volatile trading situations that can harm them. BAPTC will also be helping farmers acquire loans from trusted credit institutions,” she said.

Tabanda meanwhile said there was need to close the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post in the municipality in the meantime.

“The La Trinidad Local Government Unit, together with the Department of Agriculture have allotted funds for renovation of the old trading post. We plan to utilize the facility as a market for the municipality’s champion commodities including cutflowers,” Tabanda added.

The mayor said that the renovation is advantageous for the municipality since it would lessen traffic congestion, and address unsanitary condition caused by the trading operations done in the area.

BAPTC will started its transition period on Feb. 22 wherein accredited farmers and farmers’ organizations transferred from the old trading post to begin trading in the said facility.