DA eyes regions to fill in Luzon vegetable supply gap, stabilize prices

Metro Manila, Philippines — Luzon may look to vegetable sources from the Visayas and Mindanao to fill in a supply gap as a result of successive storms that has resulted in “persistently high” prices, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday, Nov. 19

This is among the possible recommendations that will be put on the table this week after Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. sought ways to temper rising vegetable prices in Metro Manila and other Luzon areas.

“Ang [The] priority is to get vegetables from other vegetable-producing areas and regions,” Agriculture spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said in a briefing.

“If that will be enough to temper prices, hindi na kailangan mag-import [there’s no need for importation]. If there’s a necessity to import, we will do that,” he added.

De Mesa mentioned Bukidnon and the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao and Cebu in the Visayas as among potential sources.

Luzon sources most of its highland vegetable requirement from the Cordillera Administrative Region, which has faced successive storms in over a month.

De Mesa said agricultural losses from the storms have reached P10 billion, excluding costs from Typhoon Pepito.

The “unusual” string of strong typhoons has hindered the recovery of affected farmers, which usually takes two weeks, he said.

Based on DA price monitoring, green bell peppers saw a spike in price range from P180 to P250 on Oct. 1 to P230 to P500 on Nov. 18. Red bell peppers were sold at P280 to P450 from October’s P140 to P300.

Cabbage prices also rose, like the rare ball variety at P80 to P110 from last month’s P35 to P80.

Costlier lowland vegetables include eggplants (P100 to P180 on Oct. 1 vs. P150 to P220 on Nov. 18).

Rice, meanwhile, has a high inventory even with significant losses during the calamities, the DA said.

Fish imports

De Mesa also said the DA is studying a possible importation of 8,000 metric tons (MT) of small pelagic fishes after the sector incurred losses amid the closed fishing season.

He said this was on top of the approved importation of 30,000 MT for fish products including galunggong, mackerel, moonfish, and bonito last October. 

The plan must be carried out in the first two weeks of December.

“Wala pa namang shortage, gusto lang natin i-assure na hindi tayo mamomroblema later on,” De Mesa said.

[Translation: There is no shortage. We just want to assure the public that we won’t have problems later on.]