The Department of Agriculture 12 (DA 12) has launched a joint monitoring initiative with local agriculture offices in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Cotabato Province following reports that free government-issued agricultural inputs are being illegally resold online.
Reports recently reached DA 12 indicating that subsidized farm inputs distributed to farmer-beneficiaries were listed for sale on social media platforms in Datu Piang.
In response, DA 12 Regional Executive Director John Pascual, DVM directed Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Ray Embajador to personally inspect local markets and potential resale hubs in Datu Piang and the neighboring municipality town, Midsayap.
DA 12 has coordinated directly with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) in Datu Piang and the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Midsayap to enforce strict oversight of agricultural inputs traded in their respective markets.
Local agricultural officials pledged full cooperation with the regional office to root out the practice and trace the origin of the resold supplies.
“We are committed to strictly monitoring our local markets and tracing the specific beneficiaries who received these interventions in our municipality,” said MAFAR-Datu Piang Farm Worker Noraisa Gandalon.
“Likewise, we will conduct strict market monitoring and work to trace these inputs and their recipient-beneficiaries within our area,” added Midsayap OIC Municipal Agriculturist Rosario Ibesate, RAgr. , MSCP.
Director Pascual issued a stern warning to farmer-beneficiaries against selling government interventions, emphasizing that all assistance programs are strictly intended for field production and are not for sale.
“These interventions are provided free of charge to support our farmers’ productivity and lower their production costs,” Pascual warned.
“We strongly advise the public not to patronize this modus. Selling or buying these government-funded inputs undermines the integrity of our agricultural support programs,” the director added.
DA 12 warned that beneficiaries found violating the terms of government assistance programs may face disqualification from future agricultural interventions and appropriate legal sanctions. ###
Writer: Justin Aquino