DAR Caraga partners with SM for ARBOs’ Weekend Market

Twenty-eight (28) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) and one (1) ARB has participated in the successful Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-initiated partnership with SM City Butuan dubbed as the ARBOs’ Weekend Market.

As the name suggests, this ARBOs’ Weekend Market, which is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from May 18 until May 26, 2024, is aimed at directly marketing the ARBOs’ products right to the consumers.

Such ARBOs’ products range from locally-produced and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables down to high-quality artisanal handicrafts and accessories made by the skilled-farmers of Caraga. This also included displays of Robusta coffee, assorted cacao products, milled rice, coco vinegar, vermicast, assorted Nito and Rattan bags and the like, among others.

This partnership with SM City Butuan, as one of the main locations in the city with the highest foot traffic on weekends, was a strategic choice to fully maximize the ARBOs’ sales.

On its opening day, OIC-Assistant Regional Director Joie L. Ceballos, in behalf of Regional Director Atty. Merlita S. Capinpuyan, expressed his gratitude to the management of SM for allowing such partnership to come into fruition. He further stated that, “there are thousands of farmers who are working hard for us regular people to have something to eat and to have our needs met so it is just right to uplift them more.”

SM City Butuan Manager, Kurt Joel O. Ugmad, who was also present during the official opening, conveyed his appreciation to DAR Caraga and the ARBOs for choosing SM as the venue for the ARBOs’ Weekend Market.

The ARBOs’ Market first weekend proved successful as it garnered an estimated total sales of around Php 41-K.

Due to its profitable first run, Ms. Gina Mojado, Chairperson of the Katipunan Agricultural Producers Cooperative, exclaimed that she is very happy with DAR for providing such an avenue to market their products. She continued by explaining that, “among all the other things DAR has already given to us, help in marketing our products is what we continually need and this engagement has addressed that such need.”

And with this support of the locals by patronizing the ARBOs’