ARITAO, Nueva Vizcaya (PIA) - -  The Department of Agriculture (DA) in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Aritao have opened the Agricultural Trading Post in Barangay Banganan here.

The P10 million Aritao Agricultural Trading Post (AATP) was established inside the Agri-Growth Center in this town to serve as  consolidation, marketing and distribution hub for agricultural products from the municipality and nearby towns  and provinces.

DA Regional Executive Director Narciso  Edillo praised Aritao town for embracing another project from their agency that will create economic activities of farmers in the municipality.

“This trading post is a manifestation that DA through the leadership of President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is serious in uplifting the lives of our farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.

Aritao Mayor Remelina Peros Galam thanked the DA for the establishment of their trading post.

“This will help our farmers in driving up our economy after the negative effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” she said.

The AATP was funded under the General Appropriations Act 2022 Locally Funded Project for DA under the initiatives of Senator Maria Lourdes “Nancy” Binay and Nueva Vizcaya Congresswoman Luisa Lloren Cuaresma.

At present, the trading post has an initial of 18 occupants composed of 13 farmers’ cooperatives and associations, one young farmer and four individual farmer producers. (OTB/BME/PIA NVizcaya)