TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - Farmers continue to receive support services in the midst of the pandemic after Mayor Cristina Antonio of Alcala, Cagayan initiated the buying of farmers' produce and then selling it to institutional buyers.

In her Facebook post, Mayor Antonio said that it is really possible a local government unit (LGU) to become a consolidator, and in due time, they can make mere farmers into farmer-entrepreneurs so that they will have the linkage, organizational and negotiation skills, and trust and self-confidence to do it themselves.

This year, the Alcala LGU decided to purchase white corn and peanuts directly from the farmers as a support during the pandemic. This was also a way to encourage them to refrain from planting more yellow corn and using herbicides, which are said to be destructive to the good quality of soil and can cause erosion and flooding during the rainy season.

The 18,000 kilograms of white corn were bought at P25 per kilo, while the 15,000 kilos of peanut at P60 per kilo, which is considered fair and advantageous.

While the LGU needs only 8,000 kilos of white corn and 10,000 kilos of peanut for processing purposes and distribution under their free seeds program, the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) came into the rescue by linking the LGU to a peanut and white corn buyer at a competitive price.

Antonio said that while there is a small difference in the buying price to that of the selling price, it will form a part of the LGUs public service to the farmers. (JKC/GVB/PIA Cagayan)