PH | Japan buys a supply truck for farmers in Ilocos Norte | MANILA – Ilocos Norte small-scale farmers will gain from a refrigerated truck that the Japanese government set aside PHP2.6 million to buy.
During an event on Thursday at his home in Makati City, Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa gave the grant contract to the Bacarra Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
“We hope that this pilot project to buy a refrigerated delivery truck for the Bacarra Multi-Purpose Cooperative will demonstrate that delivering fresh, high-quality goods to customers can significantly enhance farmers’ earnings,” he stated.
Ilocos Norte would “play a crucial role in leading the institutionalisation of the temperature-controlled supply chain” in the Philippines, the envoy said.
Lieutenant Governor of Ilocos Norte Matthew Marcos Manotoc was also at the signing event.
According to the Japanese Embassy, small-scale farmers in Ilocos Norte need to rely on middlemen and rented cars to get their crops to where they need to go.
Higher brokerage fees, fewer market choices, and crop loss due to bad transportation conditions are all effects of this dependence.
Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan would continue to help the country reach sustainable and inclusive growth, Koshikawa said.
In the Philippines since 1989, Japan has given money to 561 community projects, making it one of the biggest donors of official development assistance (ODA). (via PNA)
