The country’s production of major vegetables and root crops fell in 2021, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA data indicated that potato output posted the steepest decline at 9.25 percent. Production last year dipped to 103,060 metric tons (MT) from 113,560 MT in 2020.
Onion production posted the second steepest decline last year. Output contracted by about 5 percent to 218,050 MT from 229,540 MT.
PSA data also showed that the output of cabbage and mongo last year fell by 4 percent year-on-year to 124,570 MT and 35,510 MT, respectively.
Cassava declined by 1.82 percent to 2.56 million MT (MMT) from 2.607 MMT while sweet potato production fell slightly to 545,900 MT from 546,890 MT.
PSA data also showed that eggplant production last year grew to 244,370 MT from 242,730 MT in 2020 while ampalaya output rose to 88,390 MT from 87,800 MT.
Tomato production last year rebounded to 225,530 MT from 222,000 MT in 2020.
Consumers saw higher vegetable prices in certain months last year as the country grappled with supply issues, such as rains brought about by the habagat or southwest monsoon and typhoons.
The BusinessMirror broke the story last August 2021 that certain vegetables in Metro Manila were more expensive than meat products. For example, cabbage was sold for P180 per kilogram (kg) to P300 per kg while the price of pechay ranged from P150 per kg to P270 per kg. At the time, the price of a whole dressed chicken in Metro Manila wet markets ranged from P125 per kg to P170 per kg.
Last year, the DA projected that the country may suffer a 79-day shortage of vegetables. The supply shortfall for 2020 was estimated at about 434,840 MT.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar recently directed the agency’s regional field offices (RFOs) to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of food products from provinces to major metropolitan markets.
“We are enhancing production in areas and provinces around Metro Manila, such as Central Luzon, and creating a quadrant of food baskets around the NCR [National Capital Region],” he said.
“[The] RFOs have been tasked to empower farmers’ cooperatives and associations to directly export their surplus fruits and vegetables to metro areas,” he added.