Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Piñol visits PHilMech, dialogues with onion farmers
by Jett Molech G. Subaba (July 11, 2016)
Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol dialogued with the onion farmers of Nueva Ecija last June 10, 2016 at the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech). The dialogue centered on their production and postproduction problems and needs.

“Alam ko yung damdamin ninyo, alam ko yung problema. But I would like to see for myself what’s going on in the countryside,” opens the DA secretary and former North Cotabato governor.

He expressed his desire to improve the farmer’s productivity and to sufficiently provide for the onion demand in the country. He also emphasized that smuggling of onions and other commodities will be stopped under the new administration.

Farmers from the different onion cooperatives raised their issues and concerns to the secretary. They identified concerns like the need for price equilibrium level related to overproduction of onions in some areas; useful irrigation system; availability of cold storage facilities; and other production and postproduction concerns.

Piñol, on the other hand, addressed the farmers’ concerns through his proposed three major agenda: fast and effective technology transfer, easy access to financing and efficient marketing.

He promised 40 units of PHilMech-developed onion seeders as part of his technology transfer agenda.

For the financial aspect, he revealed that one billion peso is allotted by the new administration to the department for an easy-access financing for small farmers’ livelihood. Farmers can avail of this through cooperatives.

For marketing, he mentioned the Regional Food Terminals that will be put up in different areas of production where farmers can market their produce. Meanwhile, the government will do the positioning of goods to the different areas in the country.

Piñol emphasized that his priority is “ to make food available and affordable to the people”. He assured the farmers of government’s support. He left them with a challenge as well. “Nandito ang gobyerno para tulungan kayo. Iba ang gobyerno ni Duterte, pag si Duterte nangako ginagawa niya. Yan ang gobyerno ng pagbabago. Wag nyo lang lolokohin ang pera ng gobyerno, kasi may pananagutan kayo.”

More than 100 hundred onion farmers from Nueva Ecija attended the dialogue.