DA rolls out direct market linkage strategy for onion farmers

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it has rolled out a direct market linkage strategy in a bid to stabilize the prices of onion in retail markets and help farmers increase income.

In a statement, the DA said that through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), onion growers will be directly linked with market vendors and institutional buyers as part of strengthening its direct market linkage initiatives.

Under the strategy, the DA said that the AMAS and its regional counterparts in Nueva Ecija provided logistical assistance to Valiant Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative (VPMPC) and the Bagong Pag-asa Multi-purpose Cooperative, which are both based in Bongabon, an onion-producing municipality.

The Agriculture Department said its support includes the use of KADIWA delivery trucks to ease up the farmers’ perennial problems on logistics and transportation.

From February 22 to 24, the DA said a total of 4,260 kilograms (kg) of red onion and 610 kg of white onion were delivered to the L. Sanchez Farm, Batangas City Rural Improvement Club Marketing Cooperative, Ridad Integrated Farm, Agripreneur Farmers and Producers Association, as well as to market vendors of Guadalupe Market and Las Piñas City Public Market.

The market linkage activity as well as transport and logistics support form part of the interventions of the national government to local onion farmers, ensuring affordable food products in the market, the agency said. —Ted Cordero/KBK, GMA Integrated News