MANILA, Philippines – MAHIGPIT na binabantayan ng Department of Agriculture (DA) ang retail movements sa presyo ng mga gulay at isda kasunod ng kamakailan lamang na weather disturbances.
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ni Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel na ang patuloy na pag-ulan at pagbaha dulot ng southwest monsoon o “habagat” at kamakailan lamang na bagyo ay maaaring maging sanhi ng pansamantalang ‘upward adjustments’ sa ilang mga pangunahing bilihin.
“The bigger near-term concern is food inflation in high-value crops and fishery products, as flooding has damaged farms and fish ponds and disrupted the flow of goods to markets,” ayon sa Kalihim.
Tinukoy pa rin ni Tiu Laurel ang epekto ng mas mataas na presyo ng langis.
“And habagat and the weaker peso are definitely not helping the DA’s effort to stabilize food prices,” ang sinabi ni Tiu Laurel.
Ang assessment ni Tiu Laurel ay sa kabila ng nakiita ng bansa ang pagbagal sa ‘headline at food inflation’ para sa buwan ng Agosto.
“Food inflation eased to 4.6 percent last month, slower from 5.3 percent in July. Inflation for vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses swung to a 3.4 percent decline from an 8.4 percent. Rice inflation, however, accelerated to 19.4 percent from 17.1 percent in July, while fish inflation slowed to 6.6 percent from 7.8 percent,” ayon sa ulat.
Samantala, tiniyak ni Tiu Laurel na sapat ang suplay bigas sa bansa.
“We have sufficient rice stocks because of the harvest and the front-loading of imports as we prepare for the impact of El Niño,” anito.
Siniguro rin DA na makikialam ito para pagaanin ang epekto sa agricultural damage sa mga magsasaka at mangingisdang Pinoy. KRIS JOSE
