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DA-Cordillera okays P75-M veggie processing plant

By Liza Agoot

June 5, 2020, 1:10 pm

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) has approved the inclusion in its 2021 budget a PHP75-million vegetable processing facility to keep the fresh produces' shelf life longer.

DA-CAR regional director Cameron Odsey said the processing facility will be stationed at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).

“Its a processing center. One is PHP50 million worth and the Secretary (William Dar) has specifically instructed us to discuss this with BSU (Benguet State University). The other one has a smaller capacity. It will be placed somewhere strategically at the production area where the excess can be temporarily placed and not brought to the big facility,” Odsey said in a press conference on Thursday.

Odsey said that the center might have a drying, dehydrating, or juicing equipment for some vegetables like carrots and tomatoes.

Odsey said the decision to put up the facility because thousands of tons of carrots from Buguias town in Benguet and tomatoes from Ifugao were reportedly rotted and discarded during the enhanced community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

During the ECQ, Odsey said there had been a lack of buyers and low demand for fresh vegetables.

During the last BAPTC board meeting, he said a private local investor showed interest in turning carrots into juice.

Odsey, however, pointed out that there was no overproduction of agricultural products especially carrots whose price has dropped substantially, prompting farmers just to give them away.

"Maliit ang demand dahil nawala ang mga (The demand became low so there were no) activities that require the public to buy,” he said. (PNA)

 

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