THE proposed ordinance making the Davao Food Terminal Complex (DFTC) Toril district as the only "bagsakan" market of farmers' products in Davao City will now be deliberated in a committee hearing set on Monday, October 5.
Committee on Agriculture head Davao City Councilor Ralph Abella said that he passed the ordinance in order to properly manage the operations in the P1.086-billion food complex.
The P1.086-billion 20-hectare food complex opened in May 2019, which aims to ensure farmers can ensure that their agricultural products are directly sold to consumers without the intervention of middlemen.
The food complex has a food processing centers, cold storage/warehousing facilities, trading post, technology/ business incubation center, tourism component, agri-aqua culture, and water filtration and bottling facilities.
But Abella said DFTC needs an ordinance order to properly manage its operation.
At present, Davao Region Agriculture Cooperative (DRACO) is currently temporarily operating the food complex, under the management of the City Agriculturists Office (CAO).
The councilor said the farmers will be the main beneficiaries of this ordinance.
"Ang farmers man gud, sa akong pagsaka, luoy kaayo. Wala'y insaktong presyo. Mao na ni panahon na makapresyo nag maayo ang mga farmers, kung ang isa ka lugar, didto na nato ideliver tanang fruits and vegetables usa (Our farmers, based on our inspection, are losing so much with the unstable pricing. With this, this will give our farmers a justifiable pricing, which will be made in a certain area where it will be delivered, particularly the fruits and vegetables)," Abella said in a radio interview via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
On the proposed provision of the ordinance, this will prohibit farmers from bringing their products in Bankerohan Public Market or any other place in the city except the Bagsakan in DFTC in Toril. He added the auction will have to take place there.
Abella said while there are advantages and benefits if this ordinance will be pushed, there are still other considerations that need to be studied like farmers from the opposite area may have a hard time in terms of transporting products to Toril.
With this consideration, he said he might be suggesting for the city or the DFTC to provide a transport truck for agricultural products.
The councilor said there is a need to evaluate capacity of farmers and monitor their production volume to avoid surplus and shortage of agricultural supplies.