State-owned Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) is set to buy up to 80 percent of the country’s domestic mung bean output—around 3,000 metric tons a month—to support local farmers and reduce reliance on imports.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Thursday that FTI will guarantee a steady market for growers while shielding consumers from sudden price swings.

“We import significant volumes of mung beans, mostly from Argentina, even though local production already reaches about 45,000 metric tons. Our goal is to be self-reliant by 2027,” Tiu Laurel said.

“By buying, processing, and distributing these crops, FTI will be fulfilling its real mandate,” he added, describing the program as a strategy that combines farmer support, price stabilization, and food security.

The agency is also expanding its efforts beyond mung beans. 

FTI plans to buy chili peppers to help curb sharp price spikes caused by weather-related supply drops.

“Chilli prices rise because supply tightens due to crop damage caused by increased rain,” Tiu Laurel explained.

To ensure year-round production, the Department of Agriculture has allocated millions of pesos to build greenhouses for high-value crops like chili. 

FTI will also develop processing facilities to turn fresh chili into flakes or paste, enabling surplus harvests to be stored and released when supply tightens.