Strengthen Guidelines On Local Agricultural Commodities

The government is urged to strengthen its guidelines on local agriculture commodities to increase productivity and address the crisis of food security in the country.

Factors such as increases in fuel prices, supply chain disruptions, recurring natural calamities, and shortages are being blamed for the price hikes in agricultural commodities.

But another factor the government may want to look into is the cost of “facilitation fees.”

Farm operators reported that multiple inspections with paid fees set up by the local government units contributed to slowing down the supply chain by imposing an unnecessary and redundant fee on the delivery of goods.

One way to address this is for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to work with government agencies and create clear-cut guidelines on the inspection of agricultural commodities and penalize those collecting unnecessary fees and requirements.

Moreover, the national government can also offer incentives and recognition to LGUs that promote increased farm production and efficient food supply chains so that they can also be part of the solution to achieve food security in the country.

Source: Philstar