The Department of Agriculture seeks to establish food hubs across the country and hopes to blend the functions of traditional food terminals with the accessibility of KADIWA centers.
The hubs will serve as platforms where farmers and cooperatives directly bring their produce, facilitate transactions with wholesale buyers and individual consumers alike, all while offering agricultural products at competitive prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said.
“We lack food terminals in the country—places where buyers and sellers could transact on a wholesale level. This food hub will be part of the DA’s logistics roadmap,” he said.
The DA roadmap is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of agricultural supply chains and ensuring sufficient supply of vital agricultural products at affordable prices, especially in areas where demand is high.
Negotiations are underway for either a joint venture or long-term lease on a one-hectare property in Marikina’s BFCT Bagsakan Center as the first location for the distribution hubs.
The development timeline anticipates at least 12 months for the completion of facilities, including cold storage and dry warehouses, essential for preserving agricultural products.
“While the management of these food hubs will fall under the purview of Food Terminals Inc. (FTI), a KADIWA component will be integrated into their operations,” Secretary Tiu Laurel explained. He said the overarching goal is to help farmers and cooperatives increase their income while providing consumers, especially those in urban centers, access to affordable agricultural products.
The project dovetails with the vision laid out by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his stint as agriculture secretary, where he established KADIWA distribution hubs and stores making essential household items more accessible to millions of underprivileged Filipinos.
Secretary Tiu Laurel said locating the food hub proximite to existing food distribution centers underscore the commitment to facilitate seamless access for both suppliers and buyers, and in this manner maximize the effectiveness and impact of the project.
