Benguet farmers may soon cater directly to business establishments in Metro Manila, thanks to this new initiative.
A group of chefs and business owners from the National Capital Region and Calabarzon visited the highland vegetable and strawberry farms of Benguet from May 28 to 29. They aimed to explore sourcing raw produce and ingredients for their hotels, restaurants, and other businesses.
Led by Harold Lu from the World Food Expo, Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco, and the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR), the two-day activity also sought to bridge the gap among farmers, urban chefs, and business owners. They explored potential marketing partnerships for an authentic farm-to-market and farm-to-table experience.
“Our goal is to train farmers to sell directly to hotels and restaurants. We will build this up to a point where they no longer need traders,” said Wijangco, who is also the executive chef of Gypsy Baguio.
The delegation visited several farms, including the Liang Bonglo Farmers Association and Atok Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Practitioners Association in Atok, Madaymen Good Agricultural Practitioners Association in Kibungan, Dagwat Farms in Buguias, and Johnny and Lolita Marcos Farms in Mankayan.
The visitors noted that they currently source their produce either from the Balintawak market or through importation, where prices can be ridiculously steep due to the involvement of middlemen. This initiative aims to significantly reduce supply chain costs by facilitating direct trade between farmers and business owners, eliminating intermediaries.
This approach promises a win-win solution: Farmers gain equitable profits, while businesses in Manila benefit from cost-cutting measures.
“We normally buy at the Balintawak market. All the traders there know us because we’ve been trading with them for so many years. What I don’t understand is why we can’t buy directly from you? That’s the gap I want to bridge,” said Chef Lord Carlo Bayaban, executive chef of Hilton Manila.
The chefs also raised concerns about overproduction, discarding of “Class B” or lower-grade vegetables, and wastage due to poor packaging and post-harvest handling techniques. They emphasized that rejects and surpluses are still valuable, as they can innovate new recipes and products from them. They encouraged farmers to sell these surplus items at a fraction of the cost instead of discarding them.
“Even rejects can be used for dishes like pancit and sopas. There are many things I can do with them. As long as I can use them, why waste them?” said Chef Ivory Yat, a caterer based in Metro Manila. Some chefs echoed this sentiment, adding that they are also on the lookout for unusual yet valuable crops like rhubarb and arugula.
By this means, the chefs and business owners pledged to purchase directly from the farmers. However, farmers must comply with certifications like GAP and secure official receipts from the Bureau of Internal Revenue to issue to business owners.
To enhance the proposed partnerships, the farmers, delegates, and the DA-CAR agreed on several points for improvement. These include better packaging and post-harvest handling to reduce wastage, crop planning, and harvest forecasting, among others.
They also advocated for the establishment of mini-food terminal industries and trading centers to streamline market access, maintain sorting integrity, implement stringent quality control measures, and engage in research initiatives with the Department of Science and Technology to prolong the shelf life of produce, especially strawberries.
To realize this plan, the chefs and business owners will collectively create a proposal to be submitted to DA-CAR, specifically to the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division and High Value Crops Development Program, for proper action. By Joven B. Peralta