Hoarding and smuggling of agricultural goods are expected to be eliminated through vertical integration, a concept the government is looking to implement in the agriculture sector. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Noel B. Pabalate)
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, June 20, that these lingering problems hounding the agriculture sector will be addressed through vertical integration that aims to simplify the different stages along the supply chain. The President explained that instead of having different companies handling the trading, marketing, and retail of goods, the concept of vertical integration will make the flow of production process more seamless and cost effective. "‘Pag vertically integrated ‘yan, ‘pag kasama lahat ‘yan, wala ng cost ‘yun, tuloy-tuloy na lang hanggang sa retail (If it's vertically integrated, if all stages are included, it will not cost much, it will directly go to retail),” Marcos said in a media interview after attending the 125th founding anniversary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Quezon City. “Yung mga rice smuggling, sugar smuggling, onion smuggling, gagawin namin lahat para matigil ‘yan (We will do everything do stop rice smuggling, onion smuggling),” he added. He cited that, early this year, the price of onion skyrocketed, reaching as high as 87 percent price increase in the markets due to hoarding by unscrupulous traders. The chief executive said that "it is very clear" that the sudden rise in prices of goods early this year was caused by hoarding, adding that some organized syndicates had tried to control the use of cold storage facilities to manipulate the release of onions to the markets. "We are trying to strengthen it at every point in the value chain," he said. In his speech during the event, Marcos expressed confidence that the goals set for the country's agriculture sector will be met in the next few years. "I am sure that the goals that we have set for ourselves in the next few years, that we have set for the Department of Agriculture in the few years are goals that we can achieve because we have all the different elements that are required," he said. [READ  MORE: Marcos upbeat agri goals on target](https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/20/marcos-confident-agri-goals-under-his-term-will-be-achieved)