Thursday, January 11, 2007 Veggie disposers hit 'La Trinidad trade post malpractices'
AN ABSENCE of a set of policies to govern business at the La Trinidad vegetable trading post "is doing harm not only to businessmen within the facility but also to the vegetable industry", said vegetable disposers in the town.
The vegetable disposers issued the statement as they raised concern over the lack of defined rules and regulations to govern the management of the trading facility to avoid malpractices reportedly committed in the area.
Disposers are those who look for buyers of the farmers' products. There are more than 2,000 disposers at the trading post who meet at least 50 delivery trucks in a day, deal these crops to about 70 traders who then deliver the vegetables to the Metro Manila markets and other lowland provinces.
They, however, raised concern over the proliferation of "midnight buyers" or those who get vegetables but have no intention of paying for the produce. Others issue bouncing checks, to the detriment of the disposers.
Aside from bogus buyers, disposers also complain of the malpractices allegedly committed by the farmers, including the mixing of low quality crops to bags of vegetables classified as first-class commodities.
If left unchecked, the disposers said this practice would give traders/buyers no choice but to resort to imported commodities.
The fluctuating price of commodities is also among the concerns the group wants to be resolved.
The disposers are planning to form an organization primarily aimed at putting a solution to the concerns raised.
One of the disposers, Elsie Gis-it, said they would push for the accreditation of all buyers and traders who are transacting business at the trading post. Also, a member would be assigned to monitor the volume of vegetables delivered to the trading area early in the morning as basis for the disposers in imposing the prices.
Gis-it said there is a need to correct the malpractices committed at the trading post to help sustain the livelihood of farmers, disposers, traders and to save the vegetable industry, which is now beset with problems on importation and smuggling. (JC)
