DA unveils plan to boost agri production

By The President NewsJanuary 17, 2024January 17, 2024

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MANILA – According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to increase productivity, lower food costs, ensure food security, and make farming and fisheries bankable investment alternatives in three years.

The DA would invest heavily in postharvest facilities to enhance product recovery and lower the prices of rice and corn, Laurel said.

He said the government would need P93 billion to build postharvest facilities in the next three years to save rice and corn wastage.

“We’re losing about 12.7 to 15 percent of our rice production due to lack of postharvest facility. So, we need P93 billion for the harvest facilities for rice and corn. For the cold storage, my budget this year is only P1 billion, so we will focus on four cold storage to address that vegetable issue — but that can only cover part of Luzon,” Laurel said.

“So, if we try to solve the problem as soon as possible, assuming 2025… I need additional P5 billion to address the vegetable cold storage issue of the whole nation. How to get the money… I’m still new at the government, so I’m still trying to figure that out also,” he added.

The DA chief said a postharvest facility would soon rise in Dingras, Ilocos Norte, which can store 120 metric tons (MT).

The DA plans to build similar facilities in Concepcion, Tarlac; Dumangas, Iloilo; and Musuan Maramag, Bukidnon.

Under the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (Mafim) program of the National Food Authority, the government will build 196 dryers, 48 silos, 221 warehouses, 57 rice mills, 24 corn mills and 638 handling equipment all over the country.

“We also have a very big move on the logistics — 30 percent of our produce, especially of vegetables, is gone because of wastage, because of the poor logistics system in our food supply chain,” Laurel said.

“If we can lessen or hopefully almost eliminate those losses, that will be equivalent to at least 10 to 15 percent less cost on vegetables and high-value crops like fruits,” he added.

In addition, Laurel said he intends to reorganize DA to make it less regulatory.

Laurel said the DA would also appoint an assistant secretary for logistics to help optimize costs for everyone involved in the value chain, from producers down to consumers.

“This initiative involves streamlining transportation, distribution, and management processes for inputs and outputs, aiming to achieve a sustainable and cost-effective agricultural system,” he added.

Last December, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DA to report on the status of the construction of cold storage facilities and provision of postharvest facilities by January 2024, focusing on its implementation.

The DA established 268 cold chain facilities nationwide as of November last year.

By June 2028, the DA aims to complete 47 additional cold chain facilities.

Data-driven

President Marcos on Tuesday ordered the DA to implement a data-driven information system in every planting season to address overproduction.

In a meeting with DA officials in Malacañang, Marcos said farmers should be provided with the information they need to limit the production of agricultural goods that are only marketable.

“It’s another part of data-driven decisions that we give to the farmers, the producers. Kung ano ang mabenta (What is in demand) at this time, this season,” the President said.

Marcos also stressed the need to give farmers the technical know-how to help them pick what to plant each season.