Status of Small Farmers in Onion Value Chain in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Before the Kaliwanagan-San Agustin Farmers Producers Cooperative (KALASAG-FPC) was organized, the major problems encountered by the onion farmers in Brgy. Kaliwanagan and San Agustin, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija included lack of capital in growing onions and marketing. Onion farming is deemed highly capital intensive. It requires the use of many inputs such as fertilizers and chemicals. However, farmers usually sell their produce at the traditional market chain. Farmers have limited access to value-adding opportunities in their attempt to capture higher value from their crops due to technical incompetence, lack of product standards among others. To address such concerns, the KALASAG-FPC was organized and registered under the project entitled Bridging Farmers to the Jollibee Supply Chain which aimed to help small farmers gain a more stable market and a just, competitive price for their produce. KALASAG-FPC is now the direct supplier of fresh and peeled yellow granex onion to Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC). The value chain key players were composed of the input providers (seeds, fertilizers, and chemicals), onion farmers, assembler and trader (KALASAG-FPC), storage provider, and institutional buyer (JFC). Activities involved in onion value chain are provision of farm inputs, onion production, assembling and trading, storing, peeling of onions, and delivery. The major information required by the chain players includes the volume, price, delivery schedules and the quality of the onion. Small farmers undergo training on agro-entrepreneurship to supply vegetables that meet the standards of corporate buyers like JFC, while ensuring that they make profits.