BAGUIO CITY—Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday, April 1, met with vegetable farmers, truckers, and local officials from Benguet, Tinoc, Ifugao and Bauko, Mountain Province, to confront surging fuel prices that are driving up transport costs, squeezing farm incomes, and threatening vegetable supply and prices.
The dialogue at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center focused on mounting logistical pressures linked to rising global oil prices amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) planned response.
Stakeholders said the freight expenses of vegetables from farm to the trading centers and to the market destinations have doubled to tripled since the conflict began. From the usual 2-toner truck, the farmers in Buguias shared that the P4,000 fuel expenses increased spending to P8,000 at present. The truckers association also said that their fuel cost increased from 15k per trip to 35k per trip from La Trinidad trading centers to Metro Manila. The spike could add roughly P1-2 per kilogram of vegetables shipped to Metro Manila based on fuel costs alone.
Tiu Laurel said the DA is preparing a fuel subsidy program for truckers to help stabilize deliveries and cushion the impact on both transporters and farmers.
“DA has to really exert efforts with the LGUs to determine what a municipality or province lacks, so these can be complemented by surplus produce from areas with full harvesting capacity to maximize our food supply,” he said.
Tiu Laurel assured the public that the country’s overall food supply remains stable despite current pressures.
For immediate relief, the DA has deployed existing DA managed trucks and coordination with FCA and LGU managed trucks, to haul vegetables from farms to trading posts or to markets directly, with fuel expenses covered by the agency.
Regional Director Jennilyn Dawayan said efforts are also underway to expand market access. “We are intensifying the search for market linkages where LGU and FCA reported vegetables can be sold, in collaboration with other DA regional offices,” she said.
Another round of talks is set after Holy Week, in partnership with the Office of the Logistics, Food Terminal Inc. and other DA key officials, to refine interventions for farmers and transport operators.
Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel noted that the government’s P20 rice program is gaining traction, with offtake doubling in recent weeks, and said it will be expanded to help ease the burden on consumers as fuel costs rise.
The agriculture chief emphasized that close coordination between national agencies and local governments will be crucial to stabilizing food distribution and protecting both producers and consumers.
