Adequate food supply during holidays assured
By J.Lo
"If there is problem in supply, it is expected that retail prices will also increase so if we have enough supply, if there is movement in retail prices it is minimal," Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Deogracias Victor Savellano said there will be enough food supply during holidays with expected increase in demand in "ber" months.
In poultry forum in Quezon City, Savellano said local stakeholders gave assurance they could meet increased consumption of pork, chicken and eggs during Christmas season.
Savellano said sufficient supply would ensure there would be no abrupt increase in retail prices this holiday season.
He said while he could not control retail prices of agricultural products, he wanted to ensure steady supply of farm commodities during 'ber months.
He said efforts are being made to unify data used by DA and local agriculture industry.
"I am asking livestock and poultry raisers to come up with position paper…they are ones who experience problem of over importation...we need to see data to be used as basis on volume needed to be imported and volume of production so that we will determine if there is need to import or not," he said, adding he is coordinating with Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos in gathering data for agriculture sector.
Retail prices of eggs have increased amid drop in production after onslaught of typhoons Egay and Goring, according to Philippine Egg Board.
United Broiler Raisers Association chairman and Philippine Egg Board chief Gregorio San Diego said farmgate price increased between P0.15 to P0.20 per piece, noting egg producers have no control in spike in retail prices.
"Retail prices have increased, first because of problem last year… drop in farmgate price… all suffered losses, that is why many small egg producers lessened their production because of losses they incurred and after that because of typhoons, damage was big, especially in Ilocos," San Diego said.
DA earlier reported Egay and Typhoon Falcon left P386.45 million worth of damage to livestock and poultry sector. Southwest monsoon, enhanced by typhoons Goring and Hannah, left P10.42 million worth of damage to the sector.
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