Private trader buys agri products from Quezon province farmers’ coop

The signing of Memorandum of Agreement between Edgar E. Roldan, SNMBI President and Elsa Luz, a wholesale buyer and trader from Gumaca public market witnessed by Cornelio P. Villapando, DAR-Quezon Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II.

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).

The signing of Memorandum of Agreement between Edgar E. Roldan, SNMBI President and Elsa Luz, a wholesale buyer and trader from Gumaca public market witnessed by Cornelio P. Villapando, DAR-Quezon Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II.

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.

The signing of Memorandum of Agreement between Edgar E. Roldan, SNMBI President and Elsa Luz, a wholesale buyer and trader from Gumaca public market witnessed by Cornelio P. Villapando, DAR-Quezon Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II.

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.

Pribadong mangangalakal bibili ng produktong agrikultural mula sa farmers coop sa Quezon province

Isang pribadong mamimili at mangangalakal mula sa Gumaca public market sa lalawigan ng Quezon ang bibili ng mga produktong agrikultura na aanihin ng Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Barangay Bilucao, Inc. (SNMBI), na matatagpuan sa Pitogo, Quezon.

Ang hakbang ay naging posible dahil sa kamakailang paglagda ng isang kasunduan sa marketing sa pagitan nina Edgar E. Roldan, SNMBI President at Elsa Luz, isang pribadong wholesale buyer at trader mula sa Gumaca public market. Ang MOA signing ay ginanap sa Pitogo Quezon na pinangasiwaan ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Sinabi ni DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III na ang pagsali sa mga pribadong sektor upang makipagtulungan sa DAR ay nakaayon sa pambansang layunin ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. na mapabuti ang buhay ng mga magsasaka.

Sinabi ni Cornelio P. Villapando, DAR-Quezon Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, na ang marketing agreement ay may bisa sa loob ng isang taon.

"Batay sa kasunduan, ang SNMBI ay magsusuplay kay Luz ng mga gulay at iba pang mga pananim, na kinabibilangan ng saging, papaya at mais," aniya.

Binigyang-diin ni Villapando ang kahalagahan ng direktang pag-uugnay ng mga agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa mga mamimili upang matiyak na magkakaroon sila ng matatag na pamilihan para sa kanilang mga produkto at para magkaroon sila ng patas at makatarungang presyo para sa kanilang mga produkto.

"Ang partnership na ito ay nagbibigay ng isang siguradong merkado para sa mga produkto ng ARB at nagbubukas ng mga pagkakataon upang higit pang ilantad ang kanilang mga produkto sa iba pang target na mamimili," ani Villapando.

Sinabi ni Lilia A. Ogayon, DAR Quezon Marketing Assistance point person, na ang proyekto ay naglalayong mapataas ang kita ng mga ARB at palakasin ang laban ng pamahalaan sa gutom, lalo na sa panahong ito na nakararanas pa ng krisis ang bansa dahil sa COVID-19.

“Inaasahang sasakupin ng kasalukuyang proyekto ang limang (5) ektarya ng mga plantasyon, na kinabibilangan ng 30 magsasaka-benepisyaryo na dumalo sa isang pagsasanay sa ilalim ng Farm Business School (FBS) mula sa DAR,” aniya.

Nauna rito, iniugnay din ng DAR Quezon II ang ilang grupo ng mga ARB sa isang katulad na proyekto na kinabibilangan ng Sumagonsong Farmers' Multi-Purpose Cooperative ng Mulanay, Quezon na nagsusuplay ng mga agri products sa Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) at Gumaca District Jail; at ang San Nicolas Farmers Group ng General Luna na nagsusuplay ng kanilang mga produkto sa Quezon at Catanauan Municipal Jail.