​Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan wants an inquiry into the impact of rising oil prices on the cost of agricultural and fisheries production across the country.

Pangilinan, chairperson of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, filed Senate Resolution 346 to also know the readiness of the country's agencies to provide timely support for the industry.

Among those that the senator wants to examine include:

• the impact of rising fuel prices on the cost of farming, fishing operations,

• the pass-through of higher fuel prices to the costs of fertilizers, pesticides, feeds, and other agricultural inputs;

• programs for farmers and fisherfolk;

• the availability and utilization of government funds that may be mobilized to cushion the impact of global oil market shocks the readiness of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and the National Irrigation Administration to deliver timely assistance;

• the necessary policy and legislative measures to further strengthen the resilience of the agriculture and fisheries sector during periods of rising fuel and input costs.

Cold storage facilities hit

Meanwhile, Pangilinan also expressed concern over reports that cold storage facilities are now supposedly saturated with imported agricultural products, preventing local farmers from accessing essential storage services.

According to him, such a situation could worsen post-harvest losses and threaten national food security.

Pangilinan bared plans to invite cold storage operators to a hearing to discuss current challenges in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Since cold storage facilities play a critical role in preserving agricultural produce, he said, proper access to and use of these facilities stabilize food supply and ensure fair market prices.

But complaints from farmers, according to him, indicated not only limited access to these facilities but also high fees and preferential treatment for large traders or importers.