Let’s give props to Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan for doing something that should have been done 50 years ago. What did he do? Start a program that will “match the volume of production with the volume of demand”.
He calls it vegetable profiling. In other countries, it’s called a vegetable quota system. Whatever we call it, programs like these are made to ensure that farmers are not planting the same vegetables at the same time thus ensuring that they would have better income for their produce.
As we all know, if everyone plants cabbage the price of cabbage will drop to P1/kilo. The result: farmers lose all the money they invested and their produce is left rotting on those farms because it costs more money to bring them to the market. Oo nga naman, ba’t mo pa dadalhin ang repolyo sa palengke if all you’ll get is P1/kilo. Kulang pang pambayad ng arkila sa jeep.
So let’s hope that this is not a “no action, talk only” kind of thing and that Governor will follow through with this program. It is, as he said, a practical solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem. Farmers, of course, need to cooperate if this program is to work.
Benguet to start veggie profiling
From Sunstar Baguio
NEXT year, the actual volume of production and demand for vegetables grown in Benguet would be determined, which is expected to address the fluctuating vegetable prices.
Vegetable profiling has been proposed in a bid to balance the volume of supply and demand to help farmers’ have a stable income.
Governor Nestor Fongwan said the profiling in the vegetable industry would start next year, aiming to balance the volume of vegetables produced vis-à-vis the demand in the market.
Fongwan said this would be one of the most practical ways to minimize price fluctuation, which is often caused by the unpredictable volume of agricultural crops produced.
“With the profiling, we would be able to match the volume of production with the volume of demand. In that case, we will be able to maintain stable prices,” he said.
The scheme has also been identified as one of the means to remedy farmers’ problem on globalization.
The upsurge in the volume of vegetables delivered to the trading post leads to a decline in their costs while lack of agricultural supply burdens consumers due to the increase in prices.
Related posts:
Posts on Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan.
Posts on Vegetable Farmers.
INFO SOURCE: Sunstar Baguio. PHOTO CREDIT: GMA News.
All farmers big and small must have all their toes pointed in the same direction for this program to work. Would he appoint a Vegetable CZAR to ensure his program is working?
The unpredictable “freeze” and “da typoon” must also be added to the equation before full program implementation.
As Pagano (I believe) briefly cited in his blog, can we ask da good Guv where does Marijuana and Poppy exist in the program. Baka agcomply met dagita frendz tayo nga planting these aromatic plants, hehe….at least they know the rule of law if they do adhere and can also be equal opportunity farmers although a different kind….
Cheers to them and goodhealth.
This has been a dream and still is. “Zoning” as Sir Panganiban suggested it before when he was still a board member. If it had been religiously implemented and followed by the people concern during the late 80’s, the outcome could have been what is being harvested now. It is yet another start and it won’t be easy. But, its the only way our kailian farmers can and will finally DEMAND the price of their LABOR.
I came from a family of farmers and I tried working under the sun till it sets. NARIGAT!
I am honestly not a fan of the gov but if he will make this possible, he might be Dangwa’s next contender.
Hi Trublue,
Yup, farmers really have to cooperate for this to work. Hopefully they will realize that its a mutually assured destruction if they continue to do what they’re doing.
Speaking of opium, I wonder whatever happened to our lola who unintentionally planted it. Thanks.
Hi Lovelyn,
Sayang ano, to think that they could have implemented it pala as early as the 80s. Ay naligat adi nga talaga ti biyag gardinero especially now na bihira ang tatama ang kanilang apit.
Let’s hope that he will really follow through with this one. thanks.
Consider also a zone like the olden times’ principle of sustainable swidden farming where certain lands are allowed to “recover for decades” from farming.
In the case of Benguet’s vegetable farms, it will take a lot of decades and natural farming for the land to “breath and have life-giving qualities again.” What with the the pesticide used for decades etc.
Hi anonymous,
Yup, I also read somewhere that the pesticides and fertilizers have infiltrated Benguet’s groundwater kaya may serious health implications din. Maybe I should do a post on that. Thanks.
This reminds me when I was in Buguias some years back when I was younger he he. The question of who controls the veggie price was and still an issue at the moment. And of course everyone of us knows the middlemen and the vegetable mafia from Divisoria sets the price of one kg of cabbage or wombok, which are some of the big causes of the farmer not being able to set the price of his own produce. Hope Governor Fongwan will look into this.
Hi Nadjhin,
Thanks. The issue of how vegetable farmers are at the losing end of the deal seems like forever ano. Seems like naging kuntento tayo noon sa “Bahala na kung tumama”.
Hope they really pursue this though and not just NATO (No action, talk only). Thanks.