MANILA, Philippines – Mahigpit na minomonitor ng Department of Agriculture ang mga kaganapan sa Middle East kasunod ng airstrike ng Estados Unidos at Israel sa Iran.
“We are concerned about the intensifying conflict between the US and Iran as it might increase oil prices over an extended period, affecting petroleum-based fertilizers, freight costs, and the fuel that powers the machinery our farmers use and the boats our fishermen rely on,” pahayag ni Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Tinukoy ni Tiu Laurel na ang Strait of Hormuz, isang mahalagang daluyan ng oil supply ng mundo, na “any disruption along this corridor has historically triggered spikes in global crude prices, tightening energy markets, and amplifying volatility across commodity supply chains.”
Aniya, para sa import dependent agricultural system katulad ng Pilipinas, ang transmission channels ay agaran.
Ang fertilizer inputs ay mahigpit na konektado sa energy prices, partikular ang nitrogen-based products na kinuha mula sa natural gas.
Posibleng magpataas sa presyo ng farm input ang patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo.
Pagpapatuloy, sinabi ni Tiu Laurel na ang freight ay isa ring pressure point dahil ang mataas na bunker fuel costs ay maaaring magpataas ng shipping rates, at magpapataas naman sa halaga ng imported commodities katulad ng wheat at animal feed, na magtutulak din ng pagtaas sa presyo ng tinapay, poultry, at pork products.
“We have seen this during past oil shocks, and we are now looking at ways to manage the impact on our food systems and on the country’s food security,” ani Tiu Laurel.
“We have to balance fiscal prudence with the welfare of our food producers and consumers,” dagdag pa niya.
Sinabi nito na bagamat hindi pa nararanasan ang worst case scenario, “vigilance underscores a broader reality —in an interconnected global food system, distant conflicts can swiftly reshape domestic cost structures and test supply chain resilience.” RNT/JGC
