FOUR Negrense Kadiwa marketing schemes operating in Bacolod City have so far generated P3.9 million sales, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas reported.
The Negrense Kadiwa kicked off on April 1, as one of the government's initiatives to capacitate both the food producers and consumers amid the stringent quarantine measures in light of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Initially, the Negrense Kadiwa operates in the pioneer physical store at the Negros Food Terminal and through online service delivery by partnering with several rider companies in the city.
It had recently branched out to three more market outlets located at Ayala Malls Capitol Central near the Provincial Capitol, Barangay Alijis and Petron-Redemptorist along BS Aquino Drive.
On July 24, the DA and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) of Negros Occidental tapped the Federation of Multi-Sectoral Alliance for Development (Muad) to further amplify the operations of Kadiwa markets in the city.
“We in the provincial government recognized the need for a complete value chain for agricultural products from production to marketing. Muad, with long experience in marketing farmers’ produce, is helping us in expanding Kadiwa [markets],” Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said.
It can be recalled that the Provincial Government has provided P2.5 million financial assistance to the group who took over the project management.
Masculino said that on top of the financing support the province turned over to the non-government organization, it also provided more than P600,000 worth of marketing equipment and accessories in support of Kadiwa operations.
These marketing equipment include plastic crates, plastic pallet matting, digital weighing scale, warehouse storage racks, display racks, chiller, chest freezer and plastic baskets.
For his part, DA-Western Visayas Engineering Division Chief Engineer Albert Barrogo said Covid-19 does not only bring havoc to the country but also opens new opportunities and future to the agriculture sector.
The Muad will soon open four additional markets in the different Petron gas stations in Bacolod City particularly in Barangay Mansilingan, Barangay Vista Alegre, St. Jude and Pure Gold.
“The Negrense Kadiwa has been serving an average of 56 households daily and helping more than 4,600 farmers in the province,” Barrogo added.
Meanwhile, the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division will also provide P150,000 financial assistance to three Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita suppliers and producers in Negros Occidental this year.
For next year, another P2 million worth of the delivery truck and another P2 million financial assistance will be provided to Farmers Cooperative and Associations involved in Kadiwa markets in the province. (With reports from DA-Western Visayas)