Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol. INQUIRER FILE / EDWIN BACASMAS
Amid reports that the market price of siling labuyo skyrocketed to as much as P1000 per kilo, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol urged consumers to counter rising prices by learning to plant red chili pepper in flower pots.
In a Facebook post, Piñol said that it would be “wise to be innovative” on the heels of soaring prices of commodities powered by the increase in fuel prices and electricity rates.
“When you buy red sili, make sure to get a few seeds, sun-dry these and plant them in flower pots. When you gurgle in the morning when you wake up, just throw the water in the pot,” the secretary said.
“Before you know it, you would just wake up one morning to see your plants adorned with red fruits. Kailangan lang kaunting sipag para hindi reklamo nang reklamo,” he added.
Piñol also said that red sili was being sold for only about P50 per kilo in Kidapawan, Cotabato, as “almost every farmer in the province plants “sili” in his backyard.”
“Those who are complaining about the very high price of “Sili” or red chili which reportedly sells for P900 per kilo should know that in many parts of the country, including my home city of Kidapawan, the red sili is sold for only about P50 per kilo,” he said.
“I have my own red sili farm, too, which I planted over a year ago and it has been the extra source of income for my household who sells whatever she harvests to buy a bar of soap,” he continued.
The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier said that the 6.4 percent inflation in August, the highest rate in nine years, was due to steadily rising prices of food, alcoholic, and tobacco products. Vegetable prices also rose to 19.2 percent. /cbb