LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Cordillera farmers now have an easy market for their produce, such as Tabuk rice, strawberry jams, wines, and coffee, with the newly-established “TienDa” in the capital town of La Trinidad in Benguet province.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol opened the “TienDA” in Benguet over the weekend. TienDa is a marketing scheme conceptualized by the DA to ensure that farmers’ products are sold directly to consumers at farmgate prices. The products, thus, come cheaper for the local consumers.
“TienDA is just to pave the way for trading, pointing out that the scheme is like opening a road by ‘rolling out’ opportunities,” Piñol said.
The agriculture chief also came over with fruit farmers from Mindanao, saying he wants them to explore the market in Cordillera.
TienDA is to open up avenues for farmers to readily link to the market, he said.
The Benguet’s TienDA features fresh vegetables, fruits, rice, and other agricultural and fishery products from different farms in this province, Ilocos, Pangasinan, Central Luzon, and Mindanao like Davao and General Santos City.
Cordillera’s famous farm products were sold side-by-side with other fruits like durian and pomelo from Davao and fresh tuna fish from General Santos City on the opening of TienDa here on Friday.
Dozens of shoppers from the locality and nearby areas, including residents of Baguio City, flocked the stalls of around a dozen farmers, small entrepreneurs, fisherfolks, and some agricultural organizations at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).
Piñol, who received a warm welcome from local farmers, toured some of the stalls, together with DA Undersecretary for Agribusiness and Marketing, and Regional Engagement Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Governor Crescencio Pacalso and DA-Cordillera Regional Director Narciso Edillo.
The Secretary announced during the TienDa opening the increase of PHP50 million credit facility for the farmers in the region, in recognition of their efforts, especially with the 100-percent repayment of their loans from DA.
Last year, the DA allotted PHP46 million for the Cordillera farmers. (PNA)
