Even after Tropical Storm Crising and days of heavy rain brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), a farmers’ group has reassured the public: don’t expect an increase in the prices of agricultural goods anytime soon.
Farmers Still in Prep Mode
According to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), there’s no strong reason for prices to go up right now. Why? Most farms haven’t even started planting yet.
“Karamihan ng sakahan natin ay nasa paghahanda pa lang ng pagtatanim,” said SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet in a radio interview. Many farmers have already harvested earlier crops, and those who just planted can still recover if their crops were affected.
In short, it's still early in the season—so any losses from the storm can be replaced quickly. “Wala tayong inaasahang pagtaas sa presyo,” Cainglet assured.
Storm Damage Manageable
Tropical Storm Crising left the country on July 19, but not before triggering floods in several areas. The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported an estimated PHP 53 million in crop damage across Regions VI and IV-B, affecting around 2,099 farmers.
Despite that, SINAG says the impact isn’t serious enough to affect supply or cause a spike in prices.
Keep Transport Moving, Avoid Unnecessary Increases
Cainglet pointed out that when prices do go up during storms, it’s often because of transport issues—not because of a shortage in supply.
“Usually ang problema ay sa pagbyahe. Kaya sana makipag-coordinate ang LGUs sa mga byahero at traders para hindi tumaas nang wala sa lugar ang presyo,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DA is rolling out aid for affected farmers and fisherfolk. The National Food Authority has also started releasing rice stocks to support local government units in their disaster response.
