By Susan Aro
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Trading Post here,
long been the site where vegetables bound for Manila and urban areas of the
country are sold or traded may soon cease operations with the construction of
multi-million peso Agri-Pinoy Trading Center located at Benguet State
University.
With this, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala
sought commitment of farmers to do business at the APTG particularly the
Benguet Farmers’ Marketing Coop.
Alcala , guest speaker in the 4th General
Assembly of the BFMC at the trading center, urged farmer-coop members to
support the trading center which will ultimately benefit them and uplift their
way of living.
Designed to follow the value chain system
approach from production, processing, value-adding and marketing, it is within
five-hectare land of Strawberry Field in Barangay Betag here.
DA Assistant Secretary Leandro Gazmin said
its official opening will still be discussed by the BAPTC as delay was due to
construction problems.
A pilot test within the month will take
place, he added. It was earlier announced that the new vegetable trading center
will operate first quarter this year.
Alcala said he will follow up with the
Department of Public Works and Highways hastening road loop construction around
the complex in time for center’s opening.
With high hopes, he said the trading center
will prosper if farmers will extend their support given the high volume
produced among farmers ranging from 1,200 metric tons to 1,500 metric tons and
variety of agricultural produce.
He shared the Sariaya Bagsakan Center
experience in Quezon province which became an excellent trade center over the
years. It started with mere three metric tons per day until the volume
increased yearly now reaching 150 metric tons per day.
The unity of farmers and traders since its
humble beginnings was the driving force that led to the success of the center,
he said.
Alcala who frequently visits and oversees the
progress of the construction here, said consultations will be held more often
to draw ideas from farmers for systematic trading.
He said government is there to help
facilitate operations for it to succeed.
“There is no rule of thumb in running the
trading post and there are different ways of doing it, he said. “We have to
adjust to times and we have to adjust to the realities of trading.”
A concern was raised by a farmer from
Mankayan town on impact of entry of agricultural commodities from other
countries with full implementation of ASEAN free trade agreement.
Alcala said the government’s safety net is to
ensure that importers possess necessary phytosanitary permit.
The secretary urged farmers to undergo
training on sound aricultural practices for them to be prepared especially if
the province will be into export.
He committed to fund trainings of farmers on
GAP.
Alcala said of laboratory that determines the
allowable limit of pesticides in the produce would be set up and violators who
use excessive pesticides would be sanctioned.
On the inclusion of organic agriculture
produce, Alcala urged La Trinidad Organic Practitioners to submit proposals to
board of directors of BAPTC.
He also committed to provide capital for
organic composting including needed equipment.
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