Central Luzon has been asked to patronize organic food, both to sustain organic farming, which the government is trying to promote, and to make farmers competitive once economic integration opens up food trade in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
During the 2nd Regional Organic Agriculture Congress and Trade Fair, the Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon announced that it had allocated P30 million this year to improve organic farms. The said events were designed to introduce organic products to a larger consumer market.
Andrew Villacorta, DA Central Luzon director, said organic products had higher potential of being sold in the global market, particularly when the Asean integration takes effect on Dec. 31 this year.