Vendors regulate veggie shipment for Manila

There are no more rotten and stranded vegetables at the Laguindingan Airport as vendors limit their shipment with the limited capacity of airlines to ship their products to Manila.

Veggie stall holder Peter Sumabong said instead of suffering from big losses because of their undelivered vegetables, the vendors all agreed to limit their shipment despite the increased demand in Luzon.

This should be an opportunity for local farmers to earn more by sending their produce to typhoonstricken areas but Sumabong said they missed this chance because the airlines cannot handle it.

“Kami nalang nad adjust, atong giinform ang fellow vendors na dili nalang daghan ipadala, limitahan na kay masayang ra gihapon kung ma stranded,” Sumabong said.

The vendors earlier reported P4 million losses because of the offload, but Sumabong said they still hope to get back what they lost in the coming days.

A representative from the Philippine Air Force welcomed the possibility of shipping the vegetables to Manila in case of emergencies, and only upon the request of the local government unit-- a move welcomed by the vendors.

Councilor George Goking said his committee on trade and commerce will pass a resolution urging Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to visit Cagayan de Oro farmers and vendors for a talk about their issues and concerns.

The committee learned that the stranded veggies scenario is often happening at the airport, he said, and Piñol could extend his help to address this.

This, among other concerns of the farmers, particularly on availing programs of the Department of Agriculture.

Goking has directed the technical working group to create a position paper which shall lay out the concerns, to be handed to Piñol when he visits Northern Mindanao next month.