MARAWI CITY (PIA) — The provincial government of Lanao del Sur has opened its Market Convergence to link the business sector in the province to suppliers from the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Mohammad Rajiv Naga Radia, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) head, said the market convergence aims to address the business sector’s limited access to procure food products that they can sell in their stores because of some travel restrictions due to the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
“Isa sa naging problema natin sa probinsiya ay yung pagbaba ng mga taga Lanao del Sur sa Iligan at Cagayan de Oro para kumuha ng mga produkto. Kaya naisip ng provincial government na dalhin nalang dito ang mga produkto para hindi na bababa ang mga taga Lanao del Sur,” he said.
Radia said the Lanao del Sur Market Convergence goes beyond manufactured products. “We divided the market into two, the grocery section located at the Provincial Capitol Gym and the agricultural section at the Provincial Capitol Tennis Court,” he added.
For the agricultural products, the OPAg head said they are bringing basic farm and fishery commodities at ‘reasonable’ prices.
“Nakita natin na kahit anong gawin nating implementasyon ng suggested retail price, mahirap talagang pakiusapan yung mga sellers. Kaya pumasok tayo sa market at nag-introduce ng mas mura para yung mga sellers ay susunod sa ating pricing,” said Radia.
This move, he said, is a way to ensure affordable and stable prices of agricultural products in the province during the COVID-19 crisis.
Agricultural products sold at the Market Convergence include various vegetables, fruits, dried fish, fresh fish, and poultry. (APB/PIA ICIC)
