ILOILO CITY – The local government of Alimodian is ready to contribute a huge volume to meet the demand for vegetables, particularly high-value crops, of Western Visayas, should supplies from outside the region be affected by the increasing fuel prices.

Alimodian Agriculturist Chyta Calibayan, in an interview on Thursday afternoon, assured that whatever happens, their Seven Cities, a cluster of mountainous barangays consisting of Cabacanan Proper, Tabug, Uminggan, Dao, Lico, Manasa, and Cabacanan Rizal, continue to produce high-value crops as it is their source of livelihood.

“If ever they need vegetables, just coordinate with us so we can facilitate,” she said.

Western Visayas sources some of its vegetables from Luzon and the neighboring Negros Island.

The local government has been providing support to the farmers of the Seven Cities for the hauling of their products.

Every Monday and Thursday, they haul the fresh produce to adjacent Leon town, Iloilo City, and the Bayanihan Tipon Center in the poblacion.

Some private traders and buyers bring the produce directly to the Iloilo Terminal Market in Iloilo City.

Weekly, the Seven Cities can supply up to five tons of fresh produce.

“We have sufficient supply,” Calibayan said.

Aside from a favorable climate, which allows highland farmers to produce year-round, they also have two greenhouses provided by the Department of Agriculture.

However, with the expected impact of rising fuel costs on the supply of vegetables to the region, Calibayan said they will also encourage farmers in District 7, consisting of Barangays Bugang, Bagsakan, Tarug, Gines, Malamhay, Tugaslon, and Malamboy-Bondolan, to plant high-value vegetables.

She said they target to produce about three tons from the district, increasing Alimodian’s capacity to supply up to eight tons weekly.

Meanwhile, Alimodian Mayor Ian Kenneth Alfeche said the local government has convened critical offices and discussed contingency measures, especially the support they could extend to affected sectors, following the declaration of the state of national energy emergency by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

He said that, depending on their budget, and in case the situation worsens, they will extend support to affected sectors, such as public utility vehicle drivers, farmers, small vendors, and indigent residents.

The local government, he said, has already convened its Local Price Coordinating Center to monitor the flow of and prices of basic commodities and prevent hoarding. (PNA)