Reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito, author of free irrigation law, has vowed to push for the establishment of agri-food terminals and trading centers to protect farmers from exploitation of unscrupulous traders.
“Ang mga kawawang magsasaka natin dahil walang mapagdalhan ng kanilang ani, napipilitang magbenta sa mga mapagsamantalang trader o middleman na binabarat sila. To protect the farmers, we need to establish agri-food terminals and trading centers. This will increase their income kasi direkta sa buyers na mas mataas ang presyo at hindi na sa mga mandarayang negosyante,” he said in a statement.
He said once reelected to the Senate, he would re-file his Senate Bill No. 1514, which seeks to establish Agri-Food Terminal and Trading Center in every province to be set-up adjacent to bus or any transport hub and train stations to facilitate easy transportation as well as serve as a trading place of farm produce.
“Magtatayo ng Agri-Food Terminal and Trading Center sa mga istasyon ng tren. Matagal na nating ipinaglalaban at patuloy na ipaglalaban ang modernong railway system para sa mabilis at maayos na pagbibiyahe ng mga produkto at mga pasahero,” he said. Each center shall be equipped with a warehousing facility, cold storage and any similar facilities necessary to accommodate and store agricultural products. “We need to institutionalize the supply and market chain of agricultural products starting from farmers, to agricultural and food terminals, to markets and other distribution channels, hanggang makarating sa consumers,” Ejercito said.|
