QC plans farm-to-consumer program vs price hikes

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City government has announced its plans to tie up with the Department of Agriculture (DA) in organizing a farm-to-consumer program to address fluctuating and unusual increases in prices of commodities.

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, in her capacity as acting mayor, convened on Friday the city’s local price coordinating council amid reports of rising prices of basic commodities, particularly agricultural products such as garlic and rice.

Belmonte unveiled plans for the implementation of the farm-to-consumer program, which she said would protect consumers from unscrupulous trades and price manipulators by providing them direct access to commodities.

She said this would also eliminate the need for middlemen, thereby ensuring higher incomes for local producers.

The city said it would work closer with the DA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in identifying sites to which the products from farms can be directly delivered.

During the meeting, DTI Undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba also pushed for the constant updating of the price monitoring boards installed in public and private markets to guide consumers about suggested retail prices of goods. 

“This information must be posted in all market stalls or strategic locations within markets,” Dimagiba said. 

Leandro Gazmin, who heads DA’s agribusiness and marketing assistance service, said prices of all agricultural products are available on their website.

Quezon City markets administrator Noel Soliven also encouraged consumers to report irregularities in the pricing of commodities.