DA allots P914M for construction of agri trading centers in Luzon, Mindanao

The Agriculture Department has allotted P914 million for the construction of four Agri-Pinoy Trading Centers (APTCs) that will benefit at least 12,000 farmers and livestock raisers in Benguet, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Cotabato. After signing memorandum of agreements with the province-beneficiaries on September 14 at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management in Quezon City, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said 10 more trading centers will rise in the next two years. The first four trading centers will be located in La Trinidad, Benguet; Urdaneta City, Pangasinan; Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; and at the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato. Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) leads the implementation of the trading program. The P460-million Benguet trading center will be constructed in a four-hectare lot at the Benguet State University's "Strawberry Fields." It will serve as a major trading center for Cordillera “chopsuey” vegetables that include lettuce, broccoli, carrots, chayote, potatoes, and other temperate crops and stands to benefit at least 5,000 Cordillera farmers and their families. The Urdaneta and Cabanatuan trading centers will accommodate lowland, or "pinakbet," vegetables and will directly benefit at least 6,000 farmers. The Cotabato trading center will serve as a Halal Training and Development Center. It will feature a modern halal slaughterhouse for goat, sheep and beef cattle and will benefit at least 1,000 livestock farmers in the province and nearby areas. The trading centers are patterned after Sariaya, Quezon's successful agricultural trading center Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Agrikultura ng Quezon. Established in 2006, the facility was one of Alcala's major initiatives when he served as Representative of the 2nd District of Quezon. Alcala said that farmers, traders and institutional buyers should forge a mutual and continuing production and marketing agreement to ensure that everybody benefits throughout the food supply chain. — BM, GMA News