The Department of Agriculture (DA) said South Cotabato-based farmers have inked a trade agreement with a South Korean firm that would import at least 8 metric tons (MT) of papayas monthly starting this month.
DA 12 Regional Executive Director Milagros Casis said farmers from Tupi province successfully shipped a ton of solo papayas to South Korea through the help of the department’s regional office.
“We are glad our farmers from Tupi inked a deal with Nurida Co. based in South Korea,” Casis added in a news statement on Monday. “This is a triumph for us, since we are encouraging more farmers in Region 12 to think of the bigger market…this is one of the priorities now of the agriculture department.”
Under the supply agreement, the Tupi farmers, led by RM Fruits as the consolidator, are expected to ship 2 to 3 MT of solo papaya every week, Casis said. Nurida Co. is a distributor of fresh fruits in South Korea’s domestic market.
“Through the DA’s assistance, more agripreneurs have become exporters. The Tulunan Mango and Fruits Growers’ Association of Tulunan, North Cotabato, also shipped 2 tons of carabao mangoes to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, just a month ago,” she added.
The Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (Amad) of DA 12 said the supply agreement was realized because of the participation of RM Fruits in the TienDA Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Outlet in Manila, where representatives from Nurida Co. initially talked with them.
Amad added the construction of a treatment facility in Region 12 will further boost export opportunities for papaya, and other high-value crops.
In June Soccsksargen-based mango farmers, with the help of DA 12, successfully shipped half a ton of premium-grade carabao mangoes to Abu Dhabi.
Source: Business Mirror