The Department of Agriculture has granted Food Terminal Inc., or FTI, a 25-year usufruct right to use 30 hectares of government land in Tiaong, Quezon, clearing the way for the development of a major new facility designed to boost the country’s food supply chain. This arrangement allows FTI full operational control over the site while ownership remains entirely with the Department of Agriculture, keeping the property in public hands. The parcel forms part of a larger 49-hectare tract managed by the Bureau of Plant Industry and currently shared with the Quezon Agricultural Research and Experiment Station.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel noted that the agreement puts an otherwise underused government property to productive use in support of national food security without any transfer of ownership. The hub will serve as a central link connecting farmers, fisherfolk, suppliers, traders and consumers, streamlining the movement of agricultural and fishery products across the region. FTI carries the official mandate to stabilize commodity prices and maintain steady food supplies, and this project represents a key step in rolling out its planned network of regional food terminals and hubs to strengthen the entire farm-to-market pipeline.
Planned facilities include modern cold storage for fresh produce and seafood, alongside spaces for wholesale trading, processing, logistics and distribution. The project aims to cut costly post-harvest losses, keep food fresh longer, and open up more markets for producers. Farmers and fisherfolk will particularly benefit from better storage capacity, giving them more flexibility to hold goods rather than selling at rock-bottom prices immediately after harvest. Consumers in turn stand to gain from more consistent food availability and reduced wastage, which can help ease upward pressure on retail prices.
In exchange for the land use rights, FTI will provide the Bureau of Plant Industry with institutional support valued at 12 million pesos annually, payable in cash or through infrastructure projects, equipment, technical assistance and other approved forms of assistance. The agreement runs for 25 years and may be renewed upon government review and subject to legal rules. FTI will also cover all costs related to the facility’s development, maintenance, utilities and necessary permits. The project forms a central part of the national strategy to secure food supplies by investing not just in growing more food, but in building the infrastructure needed to get it efficiently from source to table.
