Manila, Philippines — Despite the recent devastation brought by Typhoon Aghon, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Monday that the vegetable supply in the country remains stable. The assurance comes as regions recover from the typhoon's impacts, with the DA closely monitoring market conditions to prevent potential exploitation by vendors.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA Assistant Secretary for Operations, there have been no significant disruptions in the transportation of vegetables, and market supply has remained generally unaffected. "We are conducting daily monitoring in our regional field offices and major markets, particularly here in Manila where price monitoring occurs almost every morning," Manalo explained during an ambush interview.
Manalo further stated that while the supply of highland vegetables is "very sufficient," some challenges persist with lowland vegetables due to the conclusion of their peak harvest season. However, he reassured that any necessary price adjustments would be minimal, not exceeding a PHP 5 increase.
The DA continues to assess the typhoon's damage, particularly in the Calabarzon, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas regions, with ongoing validations of the actual impact on standing crops.