To address the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and help farmers get the best price for their crops, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday pressed for the revival of the Kadiwa Store system.
Marcos said the Kadiwa stores can offer the public lower prices and eventually help them cope with the exorbitant cost of commodities.
“Before, commodities are being sold at farmgate prices. It would seem that you are buying directly from the farmers,” the senator said referring to the Kadiwa system during the Marcos administration.
Marcos said that the Kadiwa system enabled the public to buy goods at cheaper rates and the farmers to sell their crops without having to worry about transportation costs, eliminating also the middle men who force prices up.
The senator, who is vying for the vice presidency, said that for prices to stay steady, the government should buy the goods when the supply is excessive and sell them when stocks are inadequate.
“If the prices of goods are still cheap, the government should buy them and release them to the public so the cost will still be the same,” he said.
He also scored the current system in government which is more focused on importation rather than on giving priority to the needs of the farmers.
Marcos also emphasized the need to save the “dying” farm sector in the country in the face of the Asean integration.
“What we can say is that the country’s agricultural sector is gasping for breath. We should remedy the situation because import limit will be removed with the integration,’’ Marcos said.
At present, we only have up to a few more tons of import with the Asean integration. We have to be prepared especially the agriculture sector,” said Marcos.