DAVAO CITY — The Davao Food Terminal Complex (DFTC) was upgraded with additional state-of-the-art cold storage facilities and ancillary equipment for better packaging and processing of fresh produce.

Edgardo Haspe, the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAgrO) head, said the upgrading of the DFTC is a huge help, especially in reducing the post-harvest losses of the farmers.

He added that the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Technology Development Division (DoST-ITDI) provided the DFTC with another cold storage facility; packaging equipment including a twist sealing machine, tray lidding machine, and continuous band sealer; washing area; and encoding machine.

“It is a huge help in our post-harvest losses since usually, despite the high production rate of the city, almost 30 percent of this is lost due to the lack of storage facility and proper packaging and processing equipment,” Haspe said, adding that, as a semi-process facility, it can be utilized by the farmers to process and package their produce.

“At least, through this, we can reduce the post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables of the city,” he bared.

The food terminal is yet to be fully operational as it is, according to Haspe, still waiting for the installation of dry storage facilities to address the storage concerns of farmers and traders.

Dr. Anthony Sales, the DoST regional director, said upgrading the capability of distribution centers and trading ports in the delivery of fresh and semi-processed agricultural products focusing on packaging technology and logistics was a joint initiative of the DoST and the city government and was implemented by the DoST-ITDI.