DA vows to link vegetable farmers to big food markets amid wastage of produce due to oversupply

The Department of Agriculture will establish additional trading posts across the country to expand the market for the farmers' produce in light of reports of the farmers’ harvest going to waste due to oversupply, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Friday.

Dar made the assurance to farmers two days after the plight of carrot farmers in Tinoc, Ifugao, who have resorted to selling their products at a pittance of an amount of P5 to P10 per kilo due to oversupply and lack of buyers amid COVID-19 pandemic, came to light.

Three days ago, farmers in Tinoc, Ifugao also appealed for government aid since the price of tomatoes dramatically dropped to P2 to P5 per kilo from the previous P15 to P20 also due to the disruption of supply chain brought about by quarantine measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need to establish linkage to the food market and logistics, i-identify kung saan puede mag set up ng trading posts in all regions,” Dar said during the Laging Handa briefing.

“We will have a more efficient system, i-li-link natin itong trading posts sa big food markets sa Metro Manila in the next two years,” Dar added.

But even before the lockdown implemented on March 16 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of oversupply of produce going to waste have already been reported.

In February, 300 kilos of eggplants from Cabiao, Nueva Ecija were left to rot as prices nosedived due to due to oversupply of vegetables.

Likewise, onion farmers from Bongabon, Nueva Ecija also complained of low onion prices in February due to influx of imported onions. — RSJ, GMA News