Food Terminal Supporting Agri Producers, Brought Back
Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI), a government-owned venture, gets remodeled to provide support to the Filipino agricultural producers.
Celebrating its 50th year anniversary last April 30, FTI’s pre-celebration revival has begun, from being completely closed for operations due to disinvestments in 2012.
“This event marks the 50th year of the company and a major 360 degrees turn on its current operations,” FTI president Ariel Buenaventura said in his speech on Friday.
Even with the shutdown of its variety of post-harvest services, FTI has continued to provide services all throughout.
Rebirth of an agency
74 hectares of FTI’s property in 2012 and the plan to cancel the renewal in 2016 led to the project’s immediate shutdown.
“We were almost closed, almost shut but light was seen at the end of the tunnel with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s mission to strengthen support to the agricultural sector,” said FTI President Buenaventura.
Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) now serves as a provider for food trading leases, and as a trade market for food and agricultural producers. It also provides accessible and modern facilities for agri producers to tie-up with consumers and boost price stability.
To date, the agency provides services for the Department of Trade Industry, Dizon Farms, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) etc.
It also serves as an estate leasing company that caters to both the Philippine Economic Authority (PEZA) and non-PEZA properties.
Food and agri of PH’s future
Its revival entails a five-year road-map created in the last quarter of 2018, to align with the theme of the 2040 Philippine Development Plan of the government which is anchored on the three pillars of AMBISYON 2040 – “Malasakit, Pagbabago, at Pag-unlad (Adherence, Change, and Progress).”
The first step of the newly-crafted road-map will provide various cold storage facilities or Regional Food Terminals in strategic areas in the country, mainly, Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
via Philippine News Agency / Christine Cudis
