DA enables Cordillera farmers to sell in Luzon despite Covid-19

FARMERS in a Cordillera farm tend to lettuce for Luzon markets.  

By Elvy S. Taquio

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Proponent Groups (PGs) of enterprise sub-projects under the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) are now marketing their products to quarantine-affected areas in Luzon through the DA’s KADIWA ni Ani at Kita program.

The KADIWA ni Ani at Kita Program of Agriculture Sec. William D. Dar was launched in the Cordillera to support vegetable farmers in selling their produce directly to consumers and direct buyers from local government, KADIWA ni Ani at Kita stores, private sector, and other markets amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Some PGs who were able to market their products through the DA’s KADIWA ni Ani at Kita are the Bosigan Multipurpose Cooperative (BMPC) in Mankayan, Benguet, the Bauko Organic Practitioners Credit Cooperative (BOPCC), Sadsadan Vegetable Producers, Inc. (SAVPI), and the Bagnen-Balintaugan Timpoyog Credit Cooperative (BaBaTiCCo) in Bauko, Mountain Province.

“Transport utilities have been limited since the lockdown was imposed in Mountain Province and we have been coordinating with outside buyers through the DA and the LGU in marketing vegetables consolidated from our members,” said Samuel Caligtan, manager of BOPCC.

According to Ely Rose Felipe of the Bauko Municipal Agriculture Office, the BOPCC sold more than 90 tons of vegetables from its members.

The SAVPI sold more than 11 tons of assorted highland vegetables such as potato, chayote, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, romaine, and Chinese cabbage among others per delivery.

The BaBatiCCo also sold 44 heads of swine through the KADIWA ni Ani at Kita.

“It has been a challenge for us to look for a stable market outlet since we ventured into swine production and we are grateful to the DA and to the LGU for linking us to a buyer considering this lockdown situation,” said Dominga Maitang of BaBaTiCCo.

The Bosigan MPC had been participating in the KADIWA ni Ani at Kita program even before the Luzon-wide quarantine was imposed.

According to Regina Ludias, manager of Bosigan MPC, they were able to market around 400-500 kilograms of assorted highland vegetables per delivery several times already.

“Through the KADIWA ni Ani at Kita program, we were able to sell our vegetables outside the province without having to worry about how transportation and delivery would cost us,” she said.

Accordingly, the delivery of vegetables to various buyers are being coordinated through the DA and the LGU.

Recently, the cooperative brought around 400 kilograms of vegetables that were sold in Baguio City through the KADIWA on Wheels.

It is a rolling store selling food and non-food products that is being facilitated by the DA-CAR in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), farmers, and other local business establishments.

These cooperatives are PGs of the following DA-PRDP-funded enterprise subprojects: Tomato Production Using Greenhouse Condition (Bosigan MPC); Bagnen Swine Production and Marketing (BaBaTiCCo); Rehabilitation of Protected Areas for Organic Vegetable Production (BOPCC); and Potato Production and Marketing (SAVPI).