The Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) continues to support local farmers by helping them directly sell their produce to consumers, ensuring higher earnings and reduced losses.
“Through these continuing initiatives of empowering the farmers to directly sell their produce to consumers, their net income will increase,” said DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn Dawayan on Monday.
Dawayan highlighted the role of the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE), which actively works with DA-CAR to assist farming communities. She also emphasized the importance of building long-term partnerships between government employees’ cooperatives and rice cluster cooperatives.
One such success story is the Flora Farm Cluster Agriculture Cooperative (Floraco) in Flora, Apayao, which has received rice orders totaling 1,934 sacks (25 kilos each) worth PHP2.03 million as of end-April. The first delivery of 754 sacks was made to Baguio City on April 24, 2025.
Apayao, along with Kalinga, remains one of the Cordillera region’s key rice producers.
CARE also supports the marketing and transport of highland vegetables, especially during periods of oversupply. Dawayan shared that excess produce is quickly offered to CARE through group chats, and Kadiwa trucks are used to transport and deliver the vegetables to agency offices that commit to buy them.
“We post directly to the group chat and they respond with their orders. From the trading posts, the Kadiwa trucks are used to transport and deliver the same to the agency offices who are sure to buy them, ensuring that farmers do not throw rotten products or go home empty handed,” she said.
