Project News

Farmers in Buluto have finally started to sell their first harvest of this year to ACELDA. The ACELDA is a sole private company in Baucau which purchases paddy rice from farmers and sell it as its own brand in local shops there and in a few major supermarkets in Dili.

In the past, the ACELDA was facing operational issues on quality, transport and supply of the paddy rice from farmers in neighbouring areas of Baucau.

On the other hand, farmers in Buluto were also having their own difficulties to sell their paddy rice to local markets, while they have not yet had their own group to work for that issue.

In addition, during construction of the Buluto irrigation, most farmers halted their operation in their rice fields and they hardly made income from the rice cultivation. As a result of it, it is true that during this harvesting season, some farmers were struggling to pay for the labour in their rice cultivation.

Under such difficult situations for both of the ACELDA and the farmers in Buluto, the Project has started to technically support the ACELDA in solving out its operational issues above by effective ways such as purchase of the paddy rice in the paddy fields. As a result of it, the ACELDA has finally started to purchase the paddy rice from farmers in Buluto in the beginning of July, 2017.

Mr. Flavio da Costa Gusmão (35), a farmer from Waigae village was delighted that he could finally sell his rice of 635 kg to the ACELDA after struggling with labour cost for his rice cultivation and a threshing machine that was being waited and used by many farmers during the harvesting. Mr. Gusmão joyfully said that he will produce and sell more rice in the second cropping and gradually save up money to buy a threshing machine by himself. For the time being, he will use his cash from selling the rice to finish his house construction.

Ms. Agustinha Guterres (36), another farmer from Osuala village was also very glad to receive cash from the ACELDA as she urgently needed the cash to pay for her children's tuition. She is also eager to produce more in the second cropping as she is confident that ACELDA would come back to buy her rice.

Mr. Higinio da Costa Freitas, the President of the ACELDA said that he really thanks the Project for its technical support in improving its operation to buy the rice from the farmers in Buluto. Since his company is capable of buying the rice in around 200 tons from the farmers in Buluto, he urged them to take good advantage of the Buluto irrigation to produce more in the second cropping.

Finally, farmers who sold the rice to the ACELDA expressed their thanks for the project effort to link them to the market. They said that since there is now a buyer to purchase their rice, they will eagerly produce more in the second cropping.

The Project will continuously support both of the farmers and the ACELDA in implementing the production and sales of their rice more effectively so that as many farmers as possible get better benefits from them to improve their livelihoods.

The ACELDA weights rice before it starts buying it from farmers.

The ACELDA directly pays cash to farmers.

Farmers were finally able to thresh their rice after they waited for it in a few days.

Farmers finally sold their paddy rice to the ACELDA after they went through the harvesting challenge.