DA links up local farmers with buyers from Singapore

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has been linking vegetable farmers in the provinces of Quezon and Benguet with prospective buyers from Singapore.

He said the Department of Agriculture (DA) on behalf of qualified farmers’ groups is prepared to enter into a growing contract arrangement with the Singaporeans and other interested foreign and Filipino businessmen.

Alcala said a three-man Singaporean team recently visited the provinces of Quezon and Benguet to see for themselves the various vegetables that their fellow Singaporean prefers.

The Singaporean team is composed of Dr. Micahel Lau, CEO of Green and Fresh Pte. Ltd., and its directors Ongh Hock Beng and Ang Yong Beng.

They were accompanied by Filipino entrepreneur Agripino Ferrer Jr., and Singaporean Max Teo Chin Huat, project leader of the Philippine-Singapore vegetable mission.

“Their visit is a signal that Filipino farmers are now ready to export their quality, organically-grown vegetables to Singapore, Japan and other neighboring countries,” said Alcala.

In a press statement, Alcala said the group took interest in semi-temperate Chinese-type vegetables that are widely grown in Quezon and Benguet. These include bell pepper, tomatoes, cabbage, pechay, several types of lettuce, and coriander.

They are also interested to import fresh banana leaves as plate liner.

The Singaporean brought with them seeds of vegetables preferred in Singapore and see if these would adapt well for propagation in various parts of the Philippines.

Alcala said the DA through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) directorate is ready to organize farmers’ groups in Quezon and Benguet to meet the demand and preferences of Singaporeans through Green and Fresh Pte. Ltd.

“We should have a timeline and we must consider such factors as production cost, logistics and freight requirements. The bottomline is still the cost and farmers’ income,” he said.

While in Benguet, the Singaporeans – visited the farm of Francis Ching in Mankayan, which is planted to bell pepper, cabbage, romain lettuce, iceberg lettuce and coriander.

Meanwhile, palay (unhusked or paddy rice) damaged by typhoons Pedring and Quiel are selling for as low at P6 per kilo, according to non-government organization Rice Watch and Action Network (R1).

The group is urging National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Angelito Banayo to step up the agency’s procurement of palay, particularly in typhoon-ravaged provinces, to minimize the farmers’ losses due to very low buying price being offered by private traders.– With Marianne Go