Thousands of vegetable farmers in the towns of Impasugong, Talakag, Sumilao and Lantapan in Bukidnon now have access to a P250-M loan for production support and a P20-M for marketing under the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) Program implemented by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC). This will allow them to expand their farms and produce more vegetables.
In his official Facebook page, Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol said the P250-M loan portfolio, enough to finance production in 5,000-hectares, is now being processed and will be made available to the farmers in the soonest possible time.
Vegetable farmers in the four mountain towns of Bukidnon Province called the IMTASULA Vegetable Bowl are mostly members of the native Talaandig Tribe and have been producing vegetables from an estimated 11,000 hectares through what they call “Sariling Sikap” method, meaning they relied on whatever financing and help they could get.
Last September 14, Secretary Pinol went to Talakag town accompanied by officials of the conduit bank used by ACPC who made available immediately P20-M to be used in buying the vegetables produced by the farmers.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) also turned over four farm tractors, 25 work animals including plows, 1,000 pieces of plastic crates and arranged for the shipment of the first delivery of vegetables to Metro Manila using a refrigerated van.
Accordingly, the program aims to produce more vegetables in potential 50,000 hectares in the IMTASULA area. The four mayors of the IMTASULA also agreed to craft a 5-year masterplan for vegetable production.
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First shipment of Talakag vegetables to arrive in Manila tomorrow, September 19