DA eyes to establish solar modular cold storage

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) said Friday it plans to establish solar modular cold storage in support of local farmers.
In an ambush interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said this would help improve the entire value chain and ensure the quality of high-value crops and other agricultural commodities through proper preservation or buffer stocking.

“Kasama sa magiging sistema natin itong outlet stores (Outlet stores will be a part of our upcoming system). We will be putting cold storages na solar modular cold storages sa mga farms nila para magkaroon tayo ng (in farms for us to have a) cold chain,” he said.

He said this would be in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to support local farmers, citing an additional budget for the establishment of solar modular cold storage.

Tiu Laurel said Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, as well as the Cordillera region, will be prioritized in the establishment of the cold storage.

Besides this, the whole-system improvement will include the operation of food terminals, trucking services, and expansion of Kadiwa outlets nationwide, he added.

“Iyong sistema na yan, na parang food tray na tinatawag, para bumaba talaga ang (prices of agri commodities). So, iyan iyong mga plano natin (That system will somehow resemble what they call a food tray. So that the prices of agri commodities will drop. So that’s our plan),” Tiu Laurel said.

In terms of increasing profit for local farmers, he said these initiatives would reduce unnecessary layers for middlemen.

“Kailangan lang talaga gumawa tayo ng sistema na mabawasan yung layer. So, yan ang isang role na gagawin lang sa FTI (Food Terminal Inc.), sa food terminal. Maglalagay tayo yung mga (We need to create a system to reduce the layers. So, that’s one of the roles of the FTI in food terminals. We will put up) food terminals all over the country starting next year,” Tiu Laurel said.

For the continuous expansion of Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets, the DA eyes at least 169 outlets for 2024, and about 1,500 nationwide before the Marcos administration’s term ends. (Stephanie Sevillano)