SAN JOSE, Antique – The provincial government here has intervened to help upland farmers by purchasing their unsold vegetables and supplied these to residents of over 500 barangays in Antique.
The provincial government through the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) has been helping farmers dispose of their vegetables and other crops since April 11, said Gov. Rhodora Cadiao.
“Today, there are again deliveries of vegetables from Barangay Igburi of Patnongon town,” she said.
She said six tons of squash, four tons of tomatoes, one ton of eggplant, and 300 kilograms of string beans will be delivered by the OPA to vendors in all villages of the province.
“The program has been conceptualized with our Congresswoman Loren Legarda to help the farmers sell their farm produce and at the same time to ensure that there is sufficient supply of vegetables for consumption in the barangays,” she said.
In a separate interview on Wednesday, OPA chief Nicolasito Calawag said the provincial government has allocated P1.5 million for the purchase of vegetables.
“The program is also intended to decongest the public markets of 18 towns with consumers, by bringing vegetables right in their barangays,” he said.
The OPA purchases vegetables at farm gate prices. He cited that in Barangay Apong of Sibalom town, they bought a kilo of tomatoes for P30 through the Apong Farmers Association.
“In the market, a kilo of tomatoes is usually being sold for P80 to P90 already,” he said.
He added that they are coordinating with local government units for their barangays to at least have one vendor whom they will supply the vegetables.
The vendor will be able to buy the vegetables at a cost like P25 per kilo of tomatoes to the OPA upon delivery and sell it to the consumers in their barangay.
“There is no pegged price for the vendors on how much they could sell the vegetables to the consumers but that it should be reasonable enough,” he said. (with reports from PNA/PN)
