The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office I through the Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) has allocated around P20million for marketing assistance to hog raisers and vegetable growers in Ilocos region.

Ms. Wilhelmina Castañeda, AMAD Chief disclosed this in an interview with the RAFIS Team to address the rising prices of commodities especially on hogs and vegetables in Metro Manila.

According to Ms. Castañeda, out of the P20 million allocation, P10million shall be turned-over to the National Tobacco Administration’s Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Meat Processing Plant in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur for their meat processing operation in order to supply needed requirements of meat and meat products in Metro Manila.

For the other P10million allocation, DA-AMAD shall be partnering with the accredited consolidators in the four provinces for them to buy directly from the farmer-producers pinakbet vegetables using the prevailing price in the market.

Among the identified consolidators are the Bacarra Zanjera Multi-purpose Cooperative in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur, the DA-AMAD in San Fernando City, La Union and the Alcala Livestock and Cassava Growers Association in Alcala, Pangasinan.

To cut some expenses on logistics in transferring these agricultural commodities, the DA-AMAD shall be shouldering the transportation of these commodities in Metro Manila using the delivery trucks owned by the DA-AMAD.

For further inquiries and other details of the project, interested farmers may get in touch with Ms. Wilhelmina Castañeda at 0917-895-1400.