OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY PHOTO

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is seeking out more farmer cooperatives and food manufacturers to supply its KADIWA centers.

“Aside from helping consumers, farmer cooperatives will have a rent-free venue to sell their produce while food manufacturers can do this as their corporate social responsibility project,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement.

The department said the ‘KADIWA sa BayanAnihan’ program makes available lower-priced basic goods by allowing suppliers to sell directly to the public, bypassing middlemen.

The goods being sought for sale at KADIWA stores include vegetables, eggs, chicken, pork, fish, sugar, spices, canned goods, cooking oil, soy sauce, vinegar and noodles at wholesale prices.

Mr. Laurel said proceeds from KADIWA will help finance the DA’s subsidized rice program for the poor and vulnerable.

“Whatever funds KADIWA centers and the Food Terminal, Inc. make from this ‘Kabayani’ initiative will be utilized to help sustain the P29 rice program,” he added, referring to the intended selling price under the subsidized program.

The target market is estimated at about 34 million vulnerable individuals, including persons with disabilities, solo parents, and senior citizens, as well as those below the poverty line.

The DA has started a large-scale trial of the program to gather data on demand, supply, and logistics, with the trial expected to run for another year.

During the first two weeks of implementation, the subsidized-rice program sold 12.7 metric tons of cheap rice to about 25,000 households.

The KADIWA centers will seek to sell rice at between P45 and P48 per kilo to the general public.

Mr. Laurel has disclosed plans to expand the KADIWA network to 1,500 locations in the next three years. — Adrian H. Halili

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