Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
(UPDATE) THIRTEEN public markets in Metro Manila being monitored daily by the Department of Agriculture (DA) have been overpricing their vegetables by at least P20 per kilo, an official said on Saturday.
“Based on our daily monitoring in at least 13 markets in Metro Manila, we recorded an increase between P10 and P20 per kilo. While we expected the movement in the agriculture products, it should not be that high,” Agriculture Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said in a radio interview following the damage to crops by Super Typhoon “Karding” in late September — now estimated at P3 billion.
These 13 markets are the New Las Piñas City Public Market in Las Piñas City; Guadalupe Public Market in Makati City; San Andres Market, Quinta Market and Pritil Market in Manila City; Marikina Public Market in Marikina City; Market City of Muntinlupa City; Pasig City Market and Pasig City Mega Market in Pasig City; Commonwealth Market, Muñoz Market and Mega Q Mart in Quezon City; and Malabon Central Market in Malabon City.
Citing “reference trading posts,” Evangelista said the increase in the prices of farm products in these places was only between P2 and P5 a kilo.
She said traders would only have to add “the cost of transportation and roads were not affected by the super typhoon.”
Evangelista said the Agriculture department is now coordinating with local government units “to prevent unnecessary increase in the prices of vegetables.”
She said the department was “looking into the situation that affects consumers, especially [as] they buy on a daily basis. We need to correct this.”
Evangelista said imposing a suggested retail price (SRP) for vegetables is not an option since there is always a movement in farm products.
“The SRP is good for 60 days, that’s two months. It’s difficult to implement the SRP on vegetables as prices vary every day,” she said.
Evangelista said the DA will educate market masters on the prices of vegetables and will go after traders involved in overpricing.
“They can protect the consumers in their area,” she said.
Evangelista said the department will also deploy more Kadiwa Centers to ensure that the public will have access to cheap farm products.
Based on the daily market monitoring of the DA, retail prices of red onions range from P190 to P240 per kilo; bitter gourd, P90 to P120 per kilo; tomatoes, P120 to P160 per kilo; pechay, P70 to P100 per kilo; string beans, P80 to P100 per kilo; eggplant, P80 to P100 per kilo; calamansi, P80 to P100 per kilo; carrots, P140 to P160 per kilo; Baguio beans, P100 to P120; potatoes, P60 to P100 per kilo; saute, P30 to P50 per kilo; cabbage, P80 to P100 per kilo.
No movement in rice prices
At the same time, Evangelista said there should be no increase in the retail prices of rice in the markets despite the devastation brought by Karding.
“There should be no movement in the retail prices of rice as the stocks in the markets were harvested before. If there will be an increase, it should be by next year,” Evangelista added.
She said the Agriculture department is now studying the effects of damage brought by Karding in the overall rice supply for 2023.
“We are focusing now on how to improve our yield to increase our production. Importation will only be an alternative. If we can find ways to improve the yield, that is always the priority,” she said.
Evangelista said “Karding’s damage to the palay (unmilled rice) production only represents 66 percent of the annual rice production.”
DA hit over fuel subsidy to fishermen
Federation of Free Farmers Chairman Leonardo Montemayor has criticized the DA’s alleged “chaotic distribution” of the P3,000 fuel subsidy for fishermen.
Montemayor cited the difficulties of 350 accredited fishing boat owners in Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay in availing of the government’s fuel subsidy.
“There is a delay in the distribution of subsidy cards and pin codes by USSC, the service provider contracted by the Development Bank of the Philippines,” Montemayor said.
He said there is only one accredited gasoline station in the entire Zamboanga Sibugay.
“The subsidy can be withdrawn only in kind instead of cash. A fisherman in Alicia must spend around P800 for fare, food and other expenses and travel two hours before reaching Ipil, which is 70 kilometers away. After filling up his two or three containers with a total of around 40 liters, he must somehow get a bus or jeepney for his return to Alicia. Most vehicles refuse to load his containers for safety reasons,” Montemayor said.
He said several fishermen rented a truck at P7,500 just to claim the fuel subsidies.
“On the way back to Alicia, one of the gasoline-filled drums exploded, damaging the truck and some nearby homes. Luckily, the entire cargo did not catch fire, and none were injured,” he said.
Montemayor said that for 2022, at least 69,000 fishing boat owners throughout the country are supposed to receive fuel subsidy cards.
“That number will double to 138,000 in 2023. How many are experiencing or will face the same predicament as that of the fishermen in Alicia?” Montemayor said.
He said that the program for fishermen was patterned after the fuel subsidy scheme first implemented for jeepney drivers in Metro Manila but that “the conditions in the rural areas are vastly different from those in the major cities.”
He suggested that the fuel subsidy program should be “fisherman-friendly.”
“Why not make the subsidy withdrawable in cash, and have a monitoring system to ensure its use for fishing operations? And why not authorize other gasoline stations and other service providers that are more accessible to fishermen to participate in the program?” Montemayor asked.