MALAYBALAY CITY (PIA)—Agriculture Undersecretary for Consumer and Political Affairs Kristine Y. Evangelista led the turnover of the regional food terminal to the local government of Talakag, Bukidnon on Friday, October 8.

Located in the heart of the highland vegetable production area of barangay Miarayon, the P14 million facility will serve as a trading post for farmers, cooperatives, and associations for improved agricultural and fishery production.

“We saw the need to capacitate our farmers to be able to increase their income, to sell their produce to a better market, and at a better price. We’ve analyzed the whole value chain and looked at what interventions can be done,” said Usec Evangelista.

The food terminal provides direct participation of buyers and sellers and reduces the participation of middlemen.

It is a state-of-the-art space with cold storage and refrigerated van. It also offers fresh, affordable, and quality farm produce,

Evangelista said this regional food terminal is seen to increase local employment and income opportunities to strengthen public-private partnerships aside from offering stable food prices for institutional buyers, traders, and consumers.

The facility will complement the vegetable, fruits, and other high-value crops production areas of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte, including other regions with the presence of a good road network.

This August, DA-10 through Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado provided the LGU with a P4.28 million refrigerated van as a component of the facility, which could reduce postharvest losses in the delivery of farmers’ produce.

Talakag Mayor Vergito O. Factura said, “the government will always support us but we need to exert efforts and participate by continuously planting high-value crops, especially with the presence of the food terminal.”

Talakag is one of the municipalities of the province of Bukidnon, which is considered as a vegetable basket of Northern Mindanao.

It has been producing high-value crops like carrots, white potato, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and coffee with a potential production area of around 11,000 hectares.

Assisting Usec Evangelista were DA-10 RED Carlene C. Collado, Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga with Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division Chief Larry Paraluman, Provincial Agriculture Officer Engr. Alson Quimba and local officials. (Angelilah T. Cabig, DA-10/PIA 10 Bukidnon)