DA partners with private firms to buy produce amid ECQ

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is strengthening its partnerships with private companies and institutional buyers to purchase farmers' produce and distribute food items, aiming to support local producers affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

DA Secretary William Dar announced a partnership with Agri Nurture Inc. to regularly buy larger quantities of harvests from local farmers.

San Miguel Corporation has committed to buying 4 million kilograms of corn and will utilize Petron stations nationwide as outlets for the DA's Kadiwa rolling stores.

Several institutions, including Oh My Gulay, Grow Asia, Shell Philippines, and Victory Liner, have been consistently purchasing significant volumes of vegetables from the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal and Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center since mid-March.

The DA's Kadiwa program, which buys farm products wholesale and retails them affordably to consumers, is also working with new partners like Planters Produce and VIEVA Farmers' Federation.

Through its Kadiwa-on-wheels initiative, the DA has served 14 cities in the National Capital Region, reaching numerous barangays, villages, and subdivisions.