DARFO3: Despite Typhoon Fabian and southwest monsoon, Vegetables supply to NCR unhampered
The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office III (DARFO3) assured that the residents of National Capital Region (NCR) will have adequate vegetable supply even facing challenges amid the Typhoon Fabian and southwest monsoon or habagat.
In the past years, the Department of Agriculture – Central Luzon has been one of the biggest contributors of vegetable products in NCR. According on the data of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), a total of 146,245 kgs of lowland vegetables composed of onions, tomatoes, eggplants, squash, bitter gourd, and corn were delivered at the end of January in NCR.
This year, the DARFO3 targets to produce another record harvest of lowland vegetables that is higher compared to last year’s bumper yield.
Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) Chief Fernando C. Lorenzo stated that, “Pagkatapos ng 3months, tataas ang ani ng mga magsasaka natin. Kasisimula pa lang din ng pagtatanim sa season na ‘to, pero hindi naman maaapektuhan ang pagsusuplay natin ng gulay kahit may dumaan na habagat at ‘yung bagyong Fabian.” [The vegetable growing season of Central Luzon farmers started this month and the vegetable product is expected to increase during the harvesting season, three months from now. Despite the fact that planting has just started, the vegetable product and vegetable supplies for Metro Manila was not affected by the recent southwest monsoon and typhoon Fabian.]
“Hindi natin mapagkakaila na kahit papaano may mga naapektuhan na magsasaka dahil sa habagat at Fabian, pero patuloy pa rin tayong magsusuplay ng mga gulay para matugunan ang pangangailangan sa Metro Manila,” AMAD Chief Lorenzo added. [“We can’t deny that some farmers are affected by the southwest monsoon and Typhoon Fabian, however we will still continue to supply the vegetable demands of Metro Manila population,” AMAD Chief Lorenzo added.]
Further, the DARFO3 will continue to encourage farmers to continue planting in order to supply the National Capital Region with vegetable products from Central Luzon.