Gov says Benguet ready to export vegetables
By Desiree Caluza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:33:00 01/09/2008
Filed Under: Agriculture, Good news, Regional authorities
BAGUIO CITY—Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan said his province’s farmers are ready to export their vegetables to Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong this year.
Fongwan said President Macapagal-Arroyo wants to enhance the province’s vegetable production after allotting P10 million for the full operation of the cold chain to preserve and ensure the freshness and quality of the local produce.
He said buyers from Japan sought broccoli grown in Benguet after the vegetable passed Japanese quality standards. He said several companies in Japan wanted the initial shipments this month.
Lone competitor
“We were able to meet the quality standards of Japan such as phytosanitary (plant health) tests, sanitary and cleanliness. The only country that we will compete with is China,” Fongwan said in a press forum here on Wednesday.
He said local farmers have to triple their production to meet demands from Japan and other Asian countries.
The Benguet provincial government has tapped Dole Philippines to market the province’s other vegetables for the Asian market.
Fongwan said the price of broccoli, if packaged for export, would increase to P150 a kilogram, up from its local buying price of P25 a kg.
He said farmers are also preparing lettuce, celery, onion leeks and asparagus for export.
Fongwan said Ms Arroyo, during her visit here last month, stressed the importance of pest analysis of vegetables for export so local products could compete in the global market.
He said Benguet officials and farmers are hopeful because the cold chain will start operations on Jan. 16.
The Department of Agriculture said the facility would help farmers link their harvests with high-end markets in Metro Manila that preferred refrigerated vegetables over those sold in the wet market.
The cold chain was also meant to reduce the farmers’ post harvest losses that ranged from 10 to 40 percent.
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