The Department of Agriculture (DA) remains to be negotiating with state-owned Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) to acquire recent onions that can be bought at a reduction at Kadiwa shops.
“‘Yung start ng next cycle sa Kadiwa will be dependent on the supplemental MOA (memorandum of agreement) that we have to work on with FTI because sila ‘yung nagpo-procure,” DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista mentioned throughout the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restobar in Quezon City.
Beginning Friday, January 13, Kadiwa shops stopped promoting crimson and white onions at P170 per kilo—method cheaper than the P600 to P700 per kilo value at a number of Metro Manila markets.
Evangelista mentioned that the DA is ready for the liquidation and stock report on the primary cycle of onions bought at Kadiwa shops.
“When we get all of that, only then can we decide our ways forward…,” she mentioned.
“As far as the MOA with FTI is concerned, we are discussing this with them together with our legal team,” she added.
For the primary cycle, the DA official mentioned the company launched a price range of P140 million to acquire onions by means of FTI.
“The liquidation report from the FTI will be important to see how much of the funds were used and fund management as well. We also asked for a list of farmers and where they bought the onions, as well as the sales inventory, remaining stocks…,” Evangelista mentioned.
As to how a lot can be allotted for the second cycle, Evangelista mentioned that the DA will nonetheless have to attend for the experiences from FTI.
“For the second cycle, ito ang kailangan pag-usapan with the FTI. The proceeds of the sales ang gagamitin pambili muli ng sibuyas,” she mentioned.
Evangelista mentioned the DA nonetheless goals to promote onions at a less expensive value.
“Gusto natin ituloy ang pagkakaroon ng murang sibuyas sa Kadiwa. That is part of our commitment, and that is the Kadiwa program in itself,” she mentioned. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
