LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—The management of the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center must continue conducting aggressive information and education campaign to allow farmers to understand the benefits derived from the operation of the multi-million facility, Mayor Edna C. Tabanda said here recently.
The local chief executive, who is also a member of the BAPTC project steering committee, said many farmers and agriculture industry stakeholders still do not understand the benefits they can derive from the facility and its impact on the trading of semi-temperate vegetables.
“Farmers must understand that the primary purpose of the BAPTC is to establish a one-stop trading center for highland vegetables and to help them gain access to local and global markets as well as for locally grown crops to be globally competitive during the implementation of the Asean free trade,” Tabanda stressed.
She added BAPTC management must be able to make farmers understand that the facility is an economic enterprise, thus, its operations will be self-liquidating and not absolutely free for those interested to trade their agricultural produce in the facility.
According to her, the existing operation of the biggest trading center in the country is on an experimental basis.
She added that BAPTC management and agriculture industry stakeholders must accept the birth pains of the start of operations.
“Appropriate adjustments must already be put in place prior to the full operation of the trading center which will cater to wet market buyers, institutional buyers and other foreign buyers from Asean once the free trade agreement is implemented.”
