Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Fair Price Dignifies Farmers

"Bakeon ko ron it tig benti singko centimos kada sambato", (I’ll buy that for P0.25 per piece), a woman declared when I offered to sell her more than 100 pieces of "Saba" banana.

We have some Saba plants which fruits are more than what our family can consume. I thought of selling the surplus so other people will benefit from it instead of feeding to "Soil Night Crawler" in my Vermi Culture Project.

Today, Thursday, Sept. 29, I brought the surplus bananas to Kalibo. I offered to sell it to a banana cue vendor situated along the sidewalk of Veterans Avenue, Pob., Kalibo by the side of the fence of the Kalibo Elem. School.

The woman who was busy cooking fried saba banana offered to buy it at P0.25 per piece. I bargained for a little higher price, even just for the cost of transportation.

But she talked back, "Ah, maeomo manlang ga tanum it saging. Mag kutkot, itagdok ro saha it saging ag aywan. Bisitahan man kon ga bunga eon". (Oh, it is very easy to plant bananas. Just dig hole, put the banana sucker in it. Then leave it and visit if it has bear fruits.)

Her companion who was busy peeling the bananas bidded to buy it at P0.50 per piece. I gave it so as not to spend more effort and additional fare.

The words of that woman are negative re enforcement; it discourages people from engaging in farming. That woman does not realize the tedious jobs the farmers are undergoing to produce enough food for the people.

What is P0.25 to pay a piece of Saba banana? It is just P2.50 per kilo if 10 pieces of bananas weigh one kilogram.

That price is a dishonour to a farmer, particularly those producing bananas. It is degrading. She does not respect and acknowledge the efforts of the producers of food so that the people will have something to eat and to nourish their bodies.

That woman does not realize that farmers working in the farms are exposed to all adverse elements like rain during rainy days, and sunlight during sunny days. She does not realize that the farmer’s projects are very vulnerable to floods, typhoons and all other adverse weather conditions, including thieves. She does not realize the labor, land, and money the farmers invest in their farm projects.

She only thinks of her profits daily. Perhaps, she will realize these if nobody will sell her any food because she is "barat" (cheap). May she will realize soon that farmers are honorable and dignified as well and deserve fair price for their produce. Fair price dignifies farmers.

Private Sector Rep.

Aklan State University is now in search for two highly competent private sector representatives to its board of regents.

The ASU charter provides for the appointment of two private sector repesentatives in its board of regents. These positions have not been filled up since ASCA was converted to ASU. /MP