THE Department of Agriculture (DA) assured the public of much lower food prices in the coming months as a result of multiple factors affecting food production and supply.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa told a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday that the DA expects the prices of rice, pork and fish to drop in the following months because of lower pork demand, drop of rice prices in the world market and reopening of the fishing season in the country.
“In fact, nitong December ay na-inflation report ng PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) hindi na masyadong malaki iyong cost sa food inflation, in particular iyong bigas kumpara noong previous month,” De Mesa said.
De Mesa said there was a reported increase in pork prices because of the continuing effect of the African Swine Fever (ASF) and the huge demand for pork in the last quarter of 2024. In the case of fish, prices increased because of the closed fishing season.
“Sa isda ngayon ay closed fishing season pa rin at kaya nga nagpa-import si Secretary (Tiu-Laurel) ng additional 8,000 metric tons bago natapos ang taon at inaasahan natin by—itong huling bahagi ng January, February magbubukas na uli iyong ilang areas na nagkaroon ng closed fishing season, magbubukas na ulit,” De Mesa said.
The government is planning to declare a food security emergency to stabilize rice prices in the country by freeing up NFA warehouses and opening up more rice retail stations.
Last year was very challenging for the DA and the agricultural sector because of the effects of the El Niño phenomenon in the first quarter and then the successive typhoons and La Niña that affected the country.
The El Niño resulted in palay production loss of practically more than 800,000 metric tons while the series of typhoons caused overall damage of more than PhP30 billion, De Mesa said.
The continuous downpour in the Bicol region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley region also affected vegetable production resulting in lesser supply and higher prices, he added. |
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