There is currently no immediate assistance being given to farmers, who have lost considerable income due to the oversupply of produce and vegetable wastage, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel bared.
When asked about the government's aid to farmers who are losing sales, and eventually income, caused by oversupply and vegetable wastage, Laurel said "there is none."
"As of now wala dahil (none because) technically, there is no fund to help them," Laurel said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
The Agriculture chief said that this issue is among the several problems that would be solved by the establishment of cold storage facilities around the country.
Laurel stressed that when this happens, farmers could either store their excess produce in the facilities or the government buys out the excess vegetables and distributes them through Kadiwa centers.
"If there are incidents like that, it's either the farmers store their excess production into the storage—whether it's subsidized by the government that's to be arranged—or the government buys those excess products at a certain price to be distributed through Kadiwa. But immediate solution to that, wala (none)," he said.
He also explained that there is no fund to support the extension of assistance to farmers losing sales over produce wastage.
Laurel, however, said that they are "trying to find ways" to help the farmers in this situation. But he was firm that they are not keen on giving cash assistance.
"As much as possible, we're trying to find ways na matulungan sila (to help them). I think that's the job of the government. As of the moment, our team at the DA (Department of Agriculture), we're trying to figure out what we can give them," the DA official said.
"As far as cash ayuda is concerned, I am not a believer in that, e. I'd rather give farm implements like seed, fertilizers, or something else. Pero definitely, we will try our best na makatulong tayo kasi yun ang mandato natin, e (But definitely, we will try our best to help because that is our mandate)," he added.
President Marcos met with DA officials on Tuesday where Laurel reported the status of the provision of cold storage and postharvest facilities and plans on reducing the prices of agricultural commodities and enhancing agricultural production.
Last December, the President 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 National Food Authority (NFA) has allocated more than P93 billion for the Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) Program in 2023-2024 to be utilized in the procurement of dryers, silos, warehouse, rice mills, corn mills, and handling equipment nationwide.
The current grain post-harvest losses (corn and rice) are about 494,000 metric tons (MT) or P10.76 billion a year, the DA said, noting through the procurement of paddy dryers, milled rice production could be 3.89 million MT a year, with a recovery rate of 63 percent after milling.
With regard to the construction of cold storage facilities, the DA has established 268 cold chain facilities nationwide as of November last year.
By June 2028, the DA aims to complete an additional 47 cold chain facilities.
The agency is planning to establish four chiller storage projects with a total budget of PhP1 billion in La Union or Baguio, Taguig City, Quezon, and Occidental Mindoro.