Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Tuesday led the inauguration of the Rosales Agricultural Trading Center, a P60-million project aimed at enhancing the profitability of farmers and agricultural cooperatives by transforming them into trade-focused, empowered individuals.

Located on an 8,000-square-meter lot donated by Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella, the project began in November 2023, shortly after Secretary Laurel took charge of the Department of Agriculture. It was developed in cooperation with the local government unit of Rosales, led by Mayor William Cezar.

The trading center, funded through the Enhanced KADIWA Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program, will also feature a training facility designed to introduce farmers to new technologies and teach them how to become successful agricultural entrepreneurs.

The trading hub will serve as a prototype for similar facilities that the Department of Agriculture plans to establish in other parts of Pangasinan, benefiting both farmers and consumers. He also mentioned plans to build a solar-powered cold storage facility next to the Rosales trading hub, aimed at extending the shelf life of fresh produce, particularly high-value crops.

The Rosales Agricultural Trading Center aims to address these issues by providing farmers with a direct market for their bulk produce, eliminating unnecessary middlemen, and ultimately increasing their profitability. ### (Photo by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)