ILOILO City – Barely two weeks since the inception of Kadiwa markets in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo, local farmers have already generated a total sale of P1,514,728.78.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas rolls out “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” marketing initiatives to provide income to farmers and at the same time to make fruits, vegetables and fishery products more available and accessible to people amid the enhanced community quarantine imposed by the local government to address the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 31, DA together with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Iloilo City Government established the “Kadiwa on Wheels.”
Exhibitors including the Champion Farmers of Lambunao, Tubungan Bayanihan Tipon Center (BTC), Tigbauan Farmers Association (FA), San Miguel Local Food Terminal, Leon Bagsakan FA, Alimodian BTC, Western Visayas Mushroom Growers Association, BFAR Dried Fish Processor, and private companies Orchard Valley, Nutrifresh Chicken, Cal’s Chicken and Eggs, JHJ Farm and Unifresh Chicken have been serving city consumers every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Kadiwa on Wheels in Iloilo City has total earnings of P902,529.00 from March 31 to April 11. It has highest recorded sales at P199,100.00 last April 11 where nine exhibitors catered residents in the plazas of Mandurriao, Jaro and La Paz districts.
Meanwhile, DA partnered with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Negros Occidental and the Eco Agri Foundation in organizing the “Negrense: Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” which targets to provide marketing convenience to Bacolod City consumers with the use of digital media platforms.
From April 1 to 8 (except on Sunday), total earnings amounted P612,199.78 from selling lowland and upland vegetables, spices, eggs, meat and poultry products to both walk-in and home delivery clients.
DA regional executive director Remelyn Recoter commended the support of Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to the Kadiwa market.
“We are happy to note that the consuming public in Bacolod City are patronizing Kadiwa products and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that this marketing scheme will go beyond ECQ,” she said.
The “Negrense: Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” is partnering with delivery/rider companies in Bacolod City including Grab, Tinderoo, Juan Ride, Maid in Bacolod, and Tapao.ph Delivery. The highest sale recorded so far was at P131,835.84 last April 7.
To enable unhampered movement of agricultural products within Region 6, DA has been issuing Food Pass, Inter-Agency Task Force car pass and Identification Cards to suppliers and truckers.
According to DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division chief Maria Teresa Solis, the Iloilo Provincial Government had recently conducted a bidding of P6.7 million worth agricultural products which will be distributed as food packs to different towns in the province.
“This will be a big help to the local farmers. Agricultural products will be sourced out from the municipalities of Oton, Leon, and Tubungan,” Solis said.(with a report from DA-RAFIS 6/PN)
