DA plans food market in Valenzuela

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has created a technical working group (TWG) to establish food market in Valenzuela City.

In a special order, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the food market, which will be located within the Animal Production and Development Center (APDC) in Marulas, Valenzuela, forms part of the DA’s North Luzon Agricultural Terminal (DA-NLAT) initiative.

Dar said the DA-NLAT would serve as the gateway of the DA’s Agri-industrial business corridors (ABC) in the Northern Luzon area.

The DA described ABCs as a tool for promoting sustainable agricultural development through value chains, with agricultural clusters along existing infrastructure corridors and establishing transformative multi-sectoral public-private partnerships and providing catalytic financing to attract capital from domestic and international, public and private sources.

The ABCs will house agribusiness and multipurpose facilities that will be key to managing and integrating the food supply chain, as well as introducing innovative agricultural technology to farmers.

The newly-formed TWG is tasked to evaluate proposals for public-private partnership agreements and business plans for the DA-NLAT.

It is also directed to evaluate contracts for the establishment of the DA-NLAT and ensure that the establishment of the project complies with conditions of the contract and the ideals of the DA.

The TWG will also manage and supervise the construction and development of the project.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director Reildrin Morales was designated as the chair of the TWG.

Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) director Ariodear Rico and DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS) assistant director Dennis Arpia will serve as vice chairpersons of the group.

The BAI’s APDC was established in June 1992 and has served as a center for seminars such as slaughter techniques for pigs and cattle, pig slaughtering and pork cutting, and basic meat processing.

Dar earlier directed BAFE to redesign the whole complex and help the facility co-exist with other big food markets that the DA is set to establish.

He envisions the center to include the value chain system that will enable it to serve as a wholesale market for livestock raisers, a meat academy using innovations offered by the Korean government, and a packing facility.