Food shortages, rising prices, importation woes among Agri challenges this year

CNN Philippines

Many Filipinos were forced to eat less this year as food prices increased.  We look at all the challenges faced by agricultural sector in this year-end report by Currie Cator.   Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 The year began with soaring food prices, lasting until the end of the year.

00:17 The struggle was real for many controllers.

00:26 The Agriculture Department initially faced an onion shortage, prompting the agency to

00:31 impose a Suggested Retail Price, or SRP, of P250 per kilo.

00:37 But with prices hardly unchanged, the DA was forced to sell the vegetable for P170 in Kadiwa

00:44 stores.

00:45 They also planned to import around a thousand metric tons, and even set an SRP for imported

00:51 onions.

00:53 From vegetable to poultry, egg prices also went up to over P9 per piece, again because

00:59 of supply shortage.

01:05 Sugar also a commodity at front and center, in particular the decision of the DA to import

01:11 over 200,000 metric tons, even without the required sugar order.

01:17 The agency's defense, the president who was then Agriculture Secretary, was aware of the

01:23 shipment.

01:24 I consider it as a sugar order already because it was a directive from the Executive Secretary.

01:35 Come April, pork prices also went up because of the impact of African swine fever, and

01:41 supposedly from traders and middlemen taking advantage of supply issues.

01:46 A group sounded the alarm.

01:54 It was only a matter of time for the warning to come true.

02:02 Consumers then grappled with more expensive rice for months, the cheapest at over P50

02:08 per kilo in August.

02:10 The government responded by imposing a price cap the following month.

02:15 The price ceiling stayed even at the onset of harvest.

02:37 As if these were not enough, egg prices rose yet again in November, as well as items for

02:47 the Noche Buena table, the belated entry of a new agriculture chief coming at a time of

02:53 food supply and affordability concerns.

03:00 President Marcos has chosen a fishing tycoon to replace him as agriculture chief, but not

03:06 without questions on the newest cabinet member, who was also a top campaign donor of the chief

03:11 executive.

03:12 The new agriculture chief faces the daunting task of making food, especially rice, affordable

03:22 to ordinary Filipinos.

03:24 Saddled with rising costs beyond food, our Kababayans are waiting for relief from soaring

03:29 prices in the coming year.

03:31 Kari Kator, CNN Philippines.

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