A farm advocacy group is urging local government units to require the mandatory registration of agricultural traders to curb alleged abuses against farmers and fisherfolk.

Apple Meneses, executive director of Ipabitag Mo (IBMI), said Sunday that LGUs should direct their municipal, city and provincial agriculture offices to monitor traders buying produce in their respective areas.

Meneses said requiring agricultural traders entering municipalities and cities to register with the Municipal Agriculture Office, City Agriculture Office or Provincial Agriculture Office would allow LGUs to track trading activities, screen legitimacy and examine trading practices.

The group said the move aims to guard against so-called “predator traders” who allegedly buy produce at prices below production cost or fail to pay farmers altogether.

IBMI claimed it has observed what it described as neglect of farmers and fisherfolk by both national agencies and LGUs in protecting them from predatory traders, citing cases of nonpayment despite already low farm-gate prices.

“LGUs, through mayors can easily act against these abuse of our farmers by implementing a monitoring system. Mandatory registration will enable our LGUs to swiftly implement this all over the country,” Meneses said.

Ben Tulfo, IBMI chairman emeritus and an anti-crime and corruption advocate, said a monitoring system would allow authorities at the grassroots level to distinguish legitimate traders from abusive ones.

“It is high time that we protect our farmers from this apparent still rampant abuse. And our mayors and governors can take charge of this job by simply implementing a system where they can monitor the agri traders that do business with their farmers and fisherfolk and welcome the 'legit' and fair ones, and block the predators,” Tulfo said.

IBMI cited a recent case it monitored involving the alleged nonpayment of farmers in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, by a trader from a neighboring municipality.

Meneses said the group is now coordinating with the Muñoz local government for the drafting of an ordinance establishing a mandatory registration system for agricultural traders.

Tulfo, however, said local chief executives may issue an executive order requiring registration of agricultural traders entering their localities as an immediate step toward protecting food producers from predatory practices.