The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Central Luzon is helping the Aeta farmers in this province to find buyers for their products.
The DA, through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), has established a direct link between Aeta farmers from Floridablanca town and Dizon Farms through market matching.
DA Senior Agriculturist Carmencita Nogoy said on Friday that market matching is a process where products are matched with market segments that are most likely to purchase them and aims to increase the income of farmers and lower prices for buyers.
“Ang market matching ay ili-link natin sa market ‘yung mga produce ng ating mga farmers lalung-lalo na yung mga katutubo Aeta para magkaroon sila ng mas malaking kita (We will link the produce of our farmers, especially the Aetas, to have better income through market matching),” Nogoy said.
Among the organic produce of the Aeta farmers are ginger, gabi (taro), ube (purple yam), guyabano, camote (sweet potato), bananas and other upland crops.
Joseph Viernesto Jr., purchasing manager of Dizon Farms, said they want to help the Aeta farmers by purchasing their produce and at the same time, to avoid having an over-supply of agricultural products.
“Gusto naming matulungan ang mga katutubong Aeta na ang kanilang mga produkto ay direkta naming makukuha sa kanila. Ito ay para matulungan din namin sila kung paano mag-program ng kanilang produkto para hindi magkaroon ng over-supply sa market (We want to help the Aetas wherein we can directly get their products. This is also to help them program their products to avoid over supply in the markets),” he said.
Ric Guiao, president of the Floridablanca Aeta Ancestral Domain Incorporated, for his part, thanked the DA and the Dizon Farms for the project that could help them earn a steady income.
“Magandang hakbang itong masisimulan dahil magkakaroon na ng tuloy-tuloy na pagtutulungan. Sana sa usaping ito sa agrikultura ay makatulong din sa pag-dedevelop sa area namin (This a good step because there will be a continuing cooperation. I hope this will also help in the development of our area),” Guiao said.
Nogoy also said that another way of market matching is through Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program which enables farmers as well as fishermen to sell their produce directly to the market.
She said that Kadiwa is also the farmers’ market entry to become suppliers of institutional buyers.
Meanwhile, the DA will roll out Kadiwa on Wheels at the Pampanga provincial capitol in Barangay Sto. Niño on Jan. 30 and at the Aspire Prime Residences in Barangay Dela Paz Norte on Feb. 1. (PNA)
