THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday assured the public that the prices of agricultural products are expected to remain stable, despite the combined effects of Severe Tropical Storm Crising (international name Wipha) and southwest monsoon or habagat.
“We are not seeing any significant price surges for now, even for vegetables,” DA spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in Filipino during a virtual press briefing.
De Mesa said that while rice production has sustained some damage, most of the affected palay (unhusked rice) is still in its early planting or vegetative stage.
High-value crops, meanwhile, are likely to recover quickly, he added.
As of Wednesday, rice sector losses stood at 6,703 metric tons, valued at PHP212.60 million, impacting around 14,842 hectares of rice fields, according to the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Operations Center.
The damage in high-value crops, meanwhile, is pegged at PHP82.63 million, affecting lowland and upland vegetables, spices, legumes, watermelon, banana, pineapple, papaya, and rootcrops.
He, however, clarified that price spikes typically happen when there is a challenge in logistics or production supply.
“Every typhoon, they are using that as a reason. But we’re assuring them that there’s no stranded or obstructed roads,” he said.
“Right now, goods are moving smoothly,” he said, noting that major routes like Marcos Highway and Naguilian Road, which connect to upland vegetable-producing areas in Baguio and La Trinidad, remain fully passable. (PNA)
