Online marketing system to benefit small farmers

THE Vegetable Industry Council of Southern Mindanao Inc. (VICSMI) will introduce to small farmers a new online marketing system next month.

VICSMI president Rey Acain, speaking in Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City, said they will introduce the Farmers' E-market System during the two-day 8th Mindanao Vegetable Congress in Davao City on August 13 to 14.

Acain said farmers will be able to reach their buyers easily, as it will enable an extensive market through over the Internet.

With the new system, small farmers will have an easier access to the market, more consistent supply of products, and clearer data in terms of production as never before.

The Farmers' E-market will be serviced by Smart Communications for free, according to Val Turtur, executive director of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc.

Turtur said Smart allocated a total of P2 million for this project, which is the first in the Philippines.

"The E-Market is 50 percent completed," he said.

Acain added that farmers will just need to send a text message to its network provider, then the network will consolidate all data, including production yield and prices, on a website.

The data from which the e-marketing will come up will give forecast to farmers as to the volume of the vegetable they produce so that they could not only sustain the production yield a year but also come up with fair prices of their product vegetables, according to Acain.

Turtur said a trading center will be established for a more improved and faster delivery of goods to the consumers.

The E-Market is still in the pilot-testing stage in Davao City to know if this will work in the entire Mindanao.

Acain is expecting around 250 participants from all over Mindanao to participate in the congress next month. Farmers from Luzon and Visayas have also expressed interest to participate.