Paul Zak, a business consultant helping Saipan’s farmers build a trade relationship with the U.S. military, is now working with the local farmers group to set the prices for the eight farm products that will be transported to Guam twice a week: avocado, okra, pepper, snapbean, tangerine, sweet potato, pineapple and bitter melon.
Zak said they are now in the process of chartering an aircraft that will exclusively carry Saipan agricultural products to Guam.
135 pounds of assorted vegetables and fruits were delivered to Guam last week.
Zak said he and Saipan Sabalu Farmers Market Association Inc. president Anthony Pellegrino now plan to send Guam 1,000 pounds of these produce.
Agriculturist Isidoro T. Cabrera assured Zak that Saipan farmers can meet the military’s demand.
The military, Zak said, agreed to accept to buy Saipan produce for a price that includes the air freight cost.
The military is buying 20,000 pounds of fresh agriculture products from Guam’s local farmers, he added.
The military wants to buy 1,000 pounds of Saipan fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, Zak said.
He and Pellegrino are willing to take the risk of paying local farmers for any of the eight crops upfront.
Aside from the U.S. military, Zak said they have also established ties with some fresh food companies on Guam that can store the crops for days.
This, he said, will guarantee an alternative market on Guam.
But like the U.S. military, these Guam companies want to deal with a group rather than individual farmers, he added.
