DAR told to help resolve ARBs agri venture woes

President Duterte ordered Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) officials to meet with agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and help them resolve problems arising from the agribusiness venture agreements (AVAs) they entered into with a banana plantation in Mindanao.

Duterte, who is also the Presidential Agrarian Refrom Council (PARC) chairman, issued the order through the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council Executive Committee.

DAR Undersecretary David Erro, who is also Council secretary of PARC said the ARBs’ main problem is the revocation of the lease AVA between Marsman Estate Plantation, Inc. (MEPI) and three cooperatives, namely Davao Marsman Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Cooperative (Damarbdevco), Sto. Tomas Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (Starbenco) and Sto. Tomas Individual Farming Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (Sifarbco).

The lease AVA was approved for revocation by the PARC on September 12, 2016 due to complaints by the ARB cooperatives against MEPI for gross violations of several provisions of the contract of lease.

AVAs are contracts entered into by an ARB or group of ARBs and an investor, which involve the possession of the land; distribution of the produce of the land, and commitment of the owners to produce certain crops.

Erro said President Duterte approved the revocation of the lease AVA because of his desire to help the poor farmers.

"He (the President) did not renege and stands by his decision in the revocation of the AVA. But because he is fair and considerate, the President instructed us to hear the request of parties who want to continue their AVA with MEPI," Erro said.