The team behind a farm-to-table app in Baguio City called on the public to help purchase the processed products of the farmers affected by the previous Tropical Severe Storm “Maring.”
Baguio in Benguet is among the areas that were affected by Maring’s heavy rainfall on Monday night, October 11.
Photos and videos that circulated after showed tourist destinations the strawberry farm in La Trinidad, Benguet and the Burnham Park in Baguio City as among the affected areas.
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In a Facebook post on October 12, an online grocery app called Session Groceries, which sought to connect local farmers and consumers online, shared that their partner farms have yet to recover from the floods in August when Maring destroyed their harvests.
“Nung August ay nasalanta kami ng halos isang buwan na ulan kaya madaming magsasaka ang kailangan magsimula ulit at lubos nga din nakaapekto sa quality ng nabibigay sa customer. At ngayon naman na nakarecover na ay malakas naman na bagyo ang naranasanan namin,” the post read.
It also shared that these weather disturbances caused “bruises” in the last harvested strawberries.
The app’s partner farmers then resorted to processing the harvests into other sellable products.
Photos of these bruised strawberries are attached in the post.
“Dahil ang mga magsasaka ay nakapagaral ng food processing nung June ay mas gusto nalang namin na iprocess ng magsasaka ang mga strawberries na may bruises,” the grocery app said.
“Pwede po ba kaming maghingi ng tulong na mabili ang kanilang naprosesong produkto hindi din kasi pwede magproduce ng madami ng walang bibili dahil ang kanilang produkto ay walang halong chemical para mapatagal ang shelf life ng mahigit isang taon gaya ng strawberry juice na isang buwan lang ang shelf life,” it added.
The team said that so far, farmers were able to produce strawberry juices, strawberry tea, strawberry vinaigrette and strawberry habanero sauce.
Purchasing their products would not only help farmers earn, but it would also help them learn to innovate with their crops, Session Groceries said.
“Maraming salamat po, nawa ang pagkakaroon ng innovative mind ng magsasaka ay makaenganyo sa inyo na mas sumoporta pa dahil hindi lamang pagtapon ng produkto ang solusyon,” it said.
A link on where to download the grocery app was also included in the post.
Orders could also be made by filling out this form.
Previously, other private organizations and youth groups also launched their donation drives for other storm victims.
Other devastated areas include La Union, Tuguegarao City, Baguio, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Palawan.
READ: In photos and videos: Luzon provinces devastated by ‘Maring’
