DA: Kadiwa operations to be standardized nationwide

MANILA – Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday bared plans to implement standard operations in all Kadiwa stores nationwide.

"We will be standardizing operating hours, operating days para alam ng tao, pati (so that the people will know, and), of course, information dissemination," he said during the Malacañang Insider interview, citing the planned nationwide expansion in the coming years.

Laurel said there are 17 regularly operating and 230 irregular Kadiwa stores.

These are the sites in the Bureau of Animal Industry Dome and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Quezon City; Bureau of Plant Industry in Malate, Manila; Food Terminal, Inc. in Taguig City; Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority in Las Piñas; Bayani Fernando Central Terminal and Barangay Fortune in Marikina; and those in Llano, Caloocan; Valenzuela; Pantao Fisherfolks Consumer Cooperative in Malabon; Navotas Institute in Navotas; San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Antipolo City; Bacoor, Cavite; and San Pedro City Hall and Santa Rosa, Laguna, which operate every Thursday to Saturday.

"Kapag na-establish na namin iyong smooth logistics flow ng goods at saka iyong transaction, takbo ng transaction, ie-expand na natin iyan (Once we have established the smooth flow of logistics, flow of transactions, we will expand it)," he said.

Laurel said expansion would be in at least 800 to 1000 Kadiwa stores across the country.

He said the "franchising" of Kadiwa stores is also possible, in adherence to DA's policies and guidelines.

"We will also do Kadiwa franchising. We will allow the private sector operators or cooperatives to use that Kadiwa name in selected sites," Laurel said.

Through Kadiwa stores, consumers access cheaper agricultural commodities, such as rice, vegetables, fish, eggs, and meat.

The DA's P29 program or the sale of P29 per kg. of aging but good rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) for the vulnerable sector, as well as the Rice for All program or the sale of P45 per kg. of mixed imported and local well-milled rice for the general public, are available in Kadiwa stores.

Laurel, meanwhile, said the NFA would buy palay from local farmers at a new price range for the wet harvest season.

"Nag-compute kami ng NFA at nagdesisyon kami na during next harvest season, ang magiging presyo ng (We have computed with the NFA and decided that for the next harvest season, the buying price of) palay for wet would be P20 per kilo, and for dry is P23 per kilo," he said.

He assured that farmers would still "profit" from this pricing.

During the dry harvest season, the NFA set a higher pricing scheme pegged at P17 to P23 per kg. for fresh or wet palay; and P23 to P30 per kg. for clean and dry palay.

With the higher pricing scheme, the NFA surpassed its target palay procurement, securing 3.5 million bags of palay. (PNA)