The Department of Agriculture has partnered with Farm Fresh Inc. to promote frozen, semi-cooked vegetables in preventing oversupply spoilage in Benguet.

In a media briefing on Friday, DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said the agency and Farm Fresh Inc. are forming technical working groups that will collect data on vegetable production levels and vegetable farmers' locations in Benguet.

This way, De Mesa said, excess vegetable produce can be easily collected for packing into semi-cooked chopsuey and pinakbet dishes that can be stored in freezers and simply boiled when it is time to eat.

Benguet supplies 80 percent of the country's vegetables. While oversupplies of vegetables often occur in the province, Atok Mayor Franklin Smith said there is no data system showing how much vegetables Benguet overproduce or become rotten.

"The technical working groups can help us with this as 70 to 80 percent of the population of Atok are vegetable farmers," he said.

Initially available

to government agencies

De Mesa said the frozen, semi-cooked chopsuey and pinakbet will be initially available to government agencies like the Bureau of Corrections, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Education.

He stressed that the government aims to discourage organizations from distributing less nutritious food, especially instant noodles, to calamity victims and change the eating lifestyles of Filipinos to a healthier one.

"We are partnering with DSWD and DepEd for this project which will provide food to students and staff during calamities," De Mesa said.

"We want to improve the nutritional value of foods being distributed to people during these times. Many people are also busy parents, but they can assure their families of nutritious meals with these products," De Mesa said.

He added DA plans to also bring the frozen vegetables to Kadiwa stores and convenience stores.

"We're looking to bring these products to Kadiwa stores, convenience stores. The main purpose of this project is to bring farmers' produce to consumers more directly," he said.

Sold cheaper

Farm Fresh Inc. said vegetables can also be sold cheaper as they will become available year-round.

"We only have two seasons which are dry and wet. While consumers can visit their community markets or talipapa to buy vegetables, vendors usually sell them higher during rainy seasons because the supplies of fresh vegetables are fewer," Farm Fresh Inc. president and former Candaba mayor Jerry Pelayo said.

While they are naturally highly perishable, government data show 85 percent of the province's vegetables can become easily rotten due to long rainy days.

Farm Fresh Inc. was created by Pelayo with a group of farmers who partner with local government units and other government agencies and businesses to prevent vegetable oversupply and increase farmers' incomes.

Pelayo said the introduction of the frozen vegetables is part of the DA's Adopt-A-Town Adopt-A-Farmer Program.

Link between farmers and consumers

"We can ask hotel and restaurant owners how much vegetables they need for a week. We'll inform farmers so they can deliver sufficient volumes to these businesses. In short, we act as a link between farmers and consumers," Pelayo explained.