To help in the country’s program of food sufficiency and availability of vegetables at affordable prices in various local markets, the National Market Vendors Confederation of Cooperatives (NAMVESCO) and the Federation Benguet Farmers Cooperatives mutually agreed to engage in vegetable marketing. Four (4) tons of assorted vegetables were shipped to Valenzuela as initial order of NAMVESCO from the farmers’ federation last November 26, 2022.
This undertaking was the result of a joint meeting held on October 28, 2022, at the Strawberry Valley Hotel and Restaurant attended by Officers of both federations. Mr. Joaquin Geronimo M. Depalog, Jr., Chairman of the Federation of Benguet Farmers Cooperative coordinated with its affiliated and NAMVESCO General Manager, Ramil C. Santos that led to joint meeting. Another output of the meeting was the tagline: Pagkakaisa ng Kooperatiba, Murang Gulay sa Lamesa”. The tie-up activity is a three-pronged approach aimed to help the farmers, market vendors, and consumers. As Benguet Federation of Farmers Cooperative members finds difficulty in marketing their products, the federation thought of becoming the consolidator of various vegetable products to be shipped to NAMVESCO affiliates based in the National Capital Region (NCR). The NAMVESCO shall likewise consolidate the volume requirements of its affiliates as a basis for determining the volume to be shipped from CAR. As to pricing, the group agreed to find ways in helping vendors source cheaper products to be sold at competitive rates to benefit the consumers.
The marketing tie-up was made possible through the encouragement of Cooperative Development Authority-Cordillera Extension Office Regional Director Marieta P. Hwang for NAMVESCO to open its doors for the marketing of highland vegetables produced in Benguet and adjoining provinces. The succeeding deliveries shall be dependent on the result of the dry-run activities that commenced last Friday. Close coordination and collaboration are being undertaken by NAMVESCO General Manager Ramil C. Santos and Federation of Benguet Farmers Cooperative General Manager Frederick Edeco to ensure the success of the endeavor. It was agreed by both parties that various government agencies shall be involved when the formal agreement shall be formalized. (Lotes P. Lab-oyan, CDA-CAR)
