Vendors sell frozen pork stock at the Kalentong Market in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 9, 2021, after the government enforced a price cap on the meat. Most sellers have not sold new pork stock at the government's capped pricing due to the high cost of pork from suppliers. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA— The Executive branch is calling for a Food Security Summit to address fluctuations in the prices of some staple food items, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
The summit aims to "continue to boost and develop the agri-fishery sector through the cooperation, coordination and collaboration of the local government units (LGUs) and the private sector’s industry players and stakeholders," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.
The Food Security Summit will specifically tackle the recent spike in prices of pork, the onslaught of the African swine flu (ASF), and the drop in farm gate prices of palay, among others, he said in a statement.
"It further seeks to present some models for agribusiness value-chain approach, LGU-led agri-fishery extension system, and strengthening the role and capacities of local price coordinating councils and regional development councils," Roque said in a statement.
The summit is hoped to come up with a National Food Security Plan that will give way to "prosperous" farmers and fisherfolk and unhampered movement of agricultural commodities, among others.
Reports of falling rice farmgate prices surfaced as early as 2019 after the government switched to rice tariffs in place of import quotas to manage supply.
Meanwhile, a reported supply shortage recently prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to set a cap on the escalating prices of pork and chicken.
The agriculture department said on Monday it was "building up cases" against those who deliberately raised food prices.
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