Food security task force to monitor supply, prices during emergency

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it established a food security task force to monitor supply and price disruptions during the energy emergency.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement that the task force institutionalizes what had previously been an ad hoc monitoring system within the agency.

“Since the start of the war, we’ve been operating on an ad hoc basis. Now we are formalizing the task force so reports are standardized and more detailed, enabling faster and better decision making,” he said.

The task force will oversee developments in the supply and pricing of essential commodities, as well as track imports and exports. It is expected to produce daily briefings for submission to Congress and the Office of the President.

He said earlier monitoring efforts were conducted on an informal basis following the onset of geopolitical disruptions.

The task force will also assess the impact of shipping disruptions, particularly in the Middle East, on major agricultural exports such as bananas and pineapples.

To mitigate the impact, the DA said it is working with financial institutions, including the Land Bank of the Philippines, to extend assistance to affected exporters.

The DA is also exploring alternative export markets in Africa, Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel