AGRI WATCH

Dexter See
P60 M for Cordi Farm roads

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Agriculture has released P60 million for farm-to-market road projects proposed by the six provincial governors in the Cordillera.

The amount was released after some of the governors complained that the DA is playing favorites in the allocation of funds for farm-to-market road projects in the region. DA officials said farm-to-market roads connected to provincial and national roads are among the infrastructure facilities that have received substantial funding support from the national government in the last five years.

This is in support of the quest of the farmers for improved livelihood that results in increased income, reduction of post-harvest losses, improved access to the market, and cut in travel time.
In Abra, Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin identified the farm-to-market road projects to be funded with the newly funds as those in Barangay Velasco, Tayum town; in Callao, Villaviciosa town; in Baug, San Juan town; and in Abualan, San Juan town.

In Ifugao, Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr. submitted a list of priority road projects. These include the improvement and opening of Kiangan-Tinoc provincial road; Lingay farm-to-market road in Kiangan; Antipolo-Liwon farm-to-market road in Asipulo; Proper Pugot farm-to-market road in Lamut; Lucban-Panupdupan farm-to-market road in Lamut; Potagon farm-to-market road in Aguinaldo; Amiyong farm-to-market road in Hungduan; Battad farm-to-market road in Banaue; Julongan-Maggok farm-to-market road in Kiangan; Mungayang-Bokiawan farm-to-market road in Kiangan; Mabatobato farm-to-market road in Lamut; and Chalalo-Mongayang farm-to-market road in Aguinaldo.

Mountain Province, Benguet, Kalinga, and Apayao have yet to submit the lists of farm-to-market roads that would be funded with the P60-million fund from the DA.

Last July 14, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap assured provincial governors in the region that DA will extend fund support for farm-to-market road projects during a meeting held at the Banaue Hotel in Banaue, Ifugao.

Yap made the assurance after he visited the North Luzon Agri-Business Quadrangle and agricultural projects in Ifugao in pursuance of a commitment he had given to the governors in previous meetings.

The agriculture stakeholders in the region welcomed the release of the initial funding for the farm-to-market road projects in the different provinces, saying that the immediate completion of the projects would help the farmers as it would lessen their transportation expenses for their crops. This could also result in cheaper prices of vegetables and other farm produce in the Cordillera.

One of the factors contributing to the high production cost of vegetables is the poor condition of the farm-to-market roads that jacks up transportation cost. Cordillera is one of the country’s primary sources of semi-temperate vegetables, with Benguet supplying some 70 percent of the demand.

Veggie prices rising due to low supply LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The low supply of highland vegetables, which has come as a result of the reduced production areas in this province, is temporarily benefiting the agriculture sector here, but it has caused an increase in the prices of the produce in the market.

While many farmers have reduced their farm areas, other farmers, who could still foot the expenses for the high cost of production, have expanded hectares in anticipation of an increase in vegetable prices.

In the past, the prices of highland vegetables tended to slide down in the months of from July to November because the period was considered as the harvest season of locally grown crops. However, the situation this year is a total reversal of those of the previous years. Ironically, farmers and traders are divided on the reason behind the problem of low supply and high prices.
Representatives of Manila-based truckers said that production has been stable and the traders can hardly cope with the supply.

Earlier, farmers in the different towns here said they have reduced their farm areas by as much as 50 percent because they can no longer afford the sharp increase in the prices of farm inputs such as fertilizers and chemicals.

Many of the farmers have ventured into other sources of livelihood, while others leased their farms to their fellow farmers with substantial capital. Leaders of peasant groups said the current situation of low supply and high vegetable prices is an indication of the plight of the farmers who are encountering difficulty in raising the crops due to the spiraling prices of farm inputs.

The leaders asked the national government to launch programs aimed at assisting them.

Meanwhile, traders complained of the high vegetable prices. As of Friday, one kilo of potatoes is priced P28-P30; carrots P40-P45; cabbage at P28-P30; Scorpio cabbage P32-P37; Chinese pechay P18-P20; broccoli, P35-P40; cauliflower, P60-P90; lettuce, P50; beans, P40; sweet peas, P140-P180; and chayote, P7-P8. Local farmers associations said the prevailing high vegetable prices are to their advantage, adding they could at least recover their losses in the past several years.

They realized, however, that the abnormal situation is temporary or at least it may extend up to the end of this year. Several farmers who used to cultivate farms with average sizes of five hectares have reduced the areas to only two hectares. This reduces correspondingly their production output.