IN A bid to better sell the farmers’ crops faster, the Davao City Agriculture’s Office (CAO) officially launched yesterday AgriXchange Davao, the virtual agri-bagsakan for farmers and buyers.
AgriXchange is a Facebook-based group that serves as an online marketplace where the farmers can post about the crops that they expect to harvest in the next few weeks.
“This aims to help farmers find new market opportunities, and thereby, increase their profit. This will likewise benefit the buyers as they will be able to 1) buy products without passing through middlemen dictating excessive mark ups on the products, and 2) they will be able to know the origin of the food bought and agricultural practices being applied,” read the online About page section of the group.
After its launching, there are already 150 members in the group. According to CAO officer-in-charge Leo Brian Leuterio, this virtual agri-bagsakan is the city government’s contribution to efforts to lessen the gap between the farmers and the buyers caused by the middle men.
In an interview, Leuterio said anyone can be members of the Facebook group especially the farmers and establishment owners who are in need of fresh agricultural products. AgriXchange will usher the farmers closer toward their buyers.
The uploaded picture on the group will have the number of the farmer and the price of the crops on the caption so that the buyer and the farmers can better engage with each other.
Leuterio also said the lack of proper knowledge of modern technologies and social media is not a problem. Agricultural technologists are deployed in specific areas in the city to assist the farmers.
“As long as it works for both parties, it can be sustainable. Also our restaurant groups, hospitals, and other institutions also have desires to purchase local agricultural products,” Leuterio said.
