Spirit of cooperation inaugurates Garapan Public Market

In a spirit of community and service, the CNMI Farmer’s Cooperative Association began their operations at the newly opened Garapan Public Market this week, as what they hope is a win-win partnership between producers and consumers begins in the Commonwealth.

“I believe [the Garapan Public Market] is not really for profit or for charity, it’s for service,” Ben Borja said, a retired agriculturalist and a member of the co-op said, on the market’s unique business model that aims to be fair to everyone involved.

Borja described the opening of the market as a “second-chance” for himself and others who’ve tried to provide centralized agricultural services in years past but failed.

The idea of service was earlier echoed by former senator Maria Frica Pangelian—president of the co-op—in her remarks to the audience at the market’s unveiling on Monday—an opening that would not have been possible without the aid of volunteers.

“We had the help of the former ambassador of the Philippines sorting eggplants, we had a doctorate’s degree in education sweeping the floor, we had an accountant stocking avocadoes and making sure they’re in the right place, we had the architect trying to improvise how we can [arrange] the avocado and the eggplant and the bananas,” she said.

Both Pangelinan and secretary of the co-op’s board, Isidoro Cabrera, said that both farmers and consumers will benefit from being a member of the co-op and market.

Pangelinan encourages those interested to buy a share—worth $50—to become a member.

According to Cabrera, a member can buy up to 10 shares.

“From the producers’ side, they’re going to make the products available and then from the consumer’s side they’re going to support this cooperative, and so at the end of the year when we build enough equity, we can give a patronage refund,” Pangelinan said.

Cabrera said he expect the market to develop over the next several years with standard prices for its produce set by its board of directors.

On the patronage refund, he said, “Depending how much [a famer in a year] sold to the market, you get a certain percentage [of its profit in return].”

Cabrera believes that a majority of the farmers on island are, to date, a part of the co-op, and that he expects more to join in the weeks to come.

He emphasized that farmers from Rota and Tinian may also join the co-op.

According to Pangelinan, the co-op has over 50 members, with membership still open to those interested.

Pangelinan described the connection between farmers and consumers in the community as “critical,” as the agriculture on island provides people with resources they need in their daily lives.

“There is just so many potential,” she said, on areas the market can continue to expand in.

She described a potential community kitchen in which—for example— bananas that are overripe and otherwise wasted are used to make donuts to sell to customers.

She said that the co-op’s daily responsibilities will be to operate the market with integrity just like any other business that wants to succeed.

However, unlike some business she believes the farmer’s market has a different objective.

“[Our objective] is that everyone has a sense of belonging and ownership in the business,” she said.

In an interview, Perry Tenorio, managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority, said the venue adds another option to tourists during Thursday night’s street market as the market is within walking distance of the Garapan area and provides fruits like coconuts and bananas.

“It’s a new product that our visitors can enjoy as well,” Tenorio said.

As of yesterday, according to Cabrera, the market will be opened from 8am to 6pm this week.

He encourages producers to deliver daily as business has been “very good.”