MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture on Tuesday launched a food supply program that would, as the government office described, augment the continuous flow of vegetables, fruits, livestock, and fish products to Metro Manila.
Dubbed “Food Basket for Metro Manila Project,” the program will utilize “at least 110 hectares” of rice and vegetable farm areas in San Mateo, Rizal.
“This latest DA project will also cover other appropriate cities and municipalities in Rizal, including other nearby Region 4A or CALABARZON provinces, surrounding Metro Manila,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar in a statement posted on the DA’s official website.
Dar added that the food basket program would not only ensure a steady supply of products to the National Capital Region, but it will also give farmers a steady income especially following the disastrous effects of Typhoon Ulysses that left Rizal in a muddy mess.
“Because of the typhoons that visited our major production areas, dapat yung pwedeng tamnan ng mga short-gestation crops, yung pwedeng maani na in one month or two months, ay yun na ang itatanim natin para merong sapat na supply sa Metro Manila pagdating ng Christmas,” said Dar.
(Because of the typhoons that visited our major production areas, the areas that can be planted with short-gestation products or the ones that can be harvested in a month or two will be used so that there’s steady supply in Metro Manila come Christmas.)
He added that the model should be sustainable for a long time and that municipality of San Mateo would be the pilot site for new systems, technologies, or projects that the DA would initiate.
“I want the project to be started here in consultation with the municipality. In the future, make this the model of production area for Metro Manila. All the technologies can be started here and high-value agriculture will be the focus,” said Dar who described Metro Manila as a good market for farmers if they can meet the demanded products in the region.