Private trader buys agri products from Quezon province farmers’ coop

A private wholesale buyer and trader from Gumaca public market in Quezon province will buy agricultural products harvested by the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Barangay Bilucao, Inc. (SNMBI), located in Pitogo, Quezon.

The move was made possible with the recent signing of a marketing agreement between Edgar E. Roldan, SNMBI President and Elsa Luz, a private wholesale buyer and trader from Gumaca public market. The MOA signing was held in Pitogo Quezon facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said involving the private sectors to partner with the DAR is aligned with the national goal of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of improving the lives of the farmers.

Cornelio P. Villapando, DAR-Quezon Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, said the marketing agreement will be valid for a period of one year.

“Based on the agreement, the SNMBI will supply Luz with vegetables and other crops, which include banana, papaya and corn,” he said.

Villapando emphasized the importance of directly connecting the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to the buyers to ensure that they will have steady markets for their products and for them to command fair and just price for their commodities.

“This partnership provides an assured market for the ARB’s products and opens opportunities to further expose their products to other target buyers,” Villapando said.

Lilia A. Ogayon, DAR Quezon Marketing Assistance point person, said the project aims to increase the income of the ARBs and strengthen the government's war against hunger, especially in this time when the country is still experiencing a crisis due to the COVID-19.

“The current project is expected to cover five (5) hectares of plantations, involving a total of 30 farmer-beneficiaries, who attended a Farm Business School (FBS) training from the DAR,” she said.

Earlier, the DAR Quezon II also linked other groups of ARBs to a similar project which includes the Sumagonsong Farmers' Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Mulanay, Quezon which are supplying agri products to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the Gumaca District Jail; and the San Nicolas Farmers Group of General Luna supplying their products to Quezon and Catanauan Municipal Jail.