The Department of Agriculture-Central Luzon (DA-3) is assisting vegetable farmers in Nueva Ecija in finding viable markets to sell their tons of harvested squash.

The DA-3, through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), initiated finding buyers for farmers in Barangay Batitang, Zaragoza town who have been struggling to sell their squash produce to consumers due to oversupply.

DA-AMAD Market Development Section chief Carmencita Nogoy said on Tuesday that they met with the local government officials of Zaragoza and the farmer-members of the Batitang Agriculture Cooperative to discuss the market linkage.

“Ito’y alinsunod sa walang tigil na pakikipag-ugnayan ng kagawaran sa mga magsasaka pagdating ng anihan upang patuloy na matulungan ang mga ito sa pagma-market ng kanilang mga ani partikular na ang kalabasa (This is in line with the department’s relentless interaction with farmers when harvest arrives to continuously help them in marketing their crops, particularly squash),” Nogoy said in a statement.

She said that 10 metric tons of squash will be initially delivered by DA-AMAD to the Kadiwa markets in Metro Manila.

Through Kadiwa markets, Nogoy said “we are not just helping farmers market their crops but also offering cheaper locally produced and manufactured products to the public.”

She added that some 18 metric tons of squash were sold to the Lupao Pag-ahon Cooperative, also in Nueva Ecija.

Aside from the market linkage, Nogoy said the DA-AMAD and the Zaragoza local government unit took charge of the trucking of the harvested squash.

Due to oversupply, the price of squash has dropped to as low as PHP5 per kilo in Zaragoza. (PNA)