DA moves to tame food inflation surge

Rising transport and logistics costs, not supply shortages, are driving the latest spike in food prices, prompting the government to roll out targeted measures to contain inflation and protect consumers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is intensifying interventions after food inflation more than doubled to 6.1 percent in April from 2.7 percent in March, as higher oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East pushed up distribution expenses across the supply chain.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that staple goods led the increase, with rice prices climbing 13.7 percent from 3.5 percent in the previous month. Corn, fish, and vegetables also recorded faster price growth, underscoring how sensitive basic commodities are to rising transport costs.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the surge reflects cost pressures rather than supply constraints.

“Clearly, this price shock is a knee-jerk reaction to the surge in prices of petroleum products. We have ample supply for rice, poultry, meats, vegetable, and other commodities but the cost of logistics and transport has propped up prices,” he said. “We have moved to provide financial aid to agri-truckers to keep food prices affordable, and mobilized other offices to bring food from production hubs to markets.”

To reduce delivery costs, the government has reinstated dedicated food lanes, waived toll fees for agricultural shipments, and lowered port charges to speed up the movement of goods. Fuel subsidies are also being extended to ease pressure on transport operators within the food supply chain.

The DA is also stepping up price monitoring through more frequent market inspections to prevent excessive markups at the retail level.

On the consumer side, authorities are accelerating subsidized rice distribution through the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program, which offers rice at P20 per kilo to vulnerable groups, alongside the Rice-for-All initiative aimed at stabilizing prices in the broader market.

Officials said further interventions remain on the table if price pressures persist, including a possible P50 per kilo price ceiling on imported rice.

The impact of rising food prices has been more pronounced among lower-income households, where inflation reached 8.5 percent in April, reflecting their higher spending on basic goods.

The DA said the current measures are designed to prevent fuel-driven cost increases from spilling further into food prices, while maintaining steady supply and keeping essential commodities within reach of consumers.