Road To Food Security! (2nd of a Series) Govt. Must Build ‘Bridges’ To Keep Food Prices Low

In a geographically fragmented country like ours, government must directly get involved in the repositioning and distribution of basic food commodities needed by Filipino families daily.
These basic food commodities would include Rice, Meat, Poultry Products, Fish, Vegetables, Fruits, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil and other kitchen items.
Globalists and Free Market Economy Advocates would certainly scoff at the idea of government getting involved in the movement and marketing of food commodities.
Their contention is that in a “free market, buyers and sellers arrive at prices based only on supply and demand” and government must not intervene or regulate.
The idea of a free market for basic food commodities needed every day by Filipino families, however, will not work in our country given the geographical realities.
Consider these:
– Bulb Onion in Mindoro Island sells for as low as P30 per kilo while it is sold for P180 in Kidapawan City Market;
– “Kalabasa” is bought by traders for as low as P2 per kilo in Alamada and sold for P25 per kilo in Iloilo;
– “Galunggong” is bought by fish traders in Maluso, Basilan for P50 per kilo but sold for P300 in Metro Manila markets;
– “Kamatis” in Nueva Ecija is bought from farmers for as low as P10 per kilo but priced P100 per kilo in Cebu City market.
These are just a few examples of how the distance between production areas and the market and the high cost of transporting agricultural goods had jacked up food prices almost beyond the reach of Filipino wage earners.
These are the reasons why the idea of a “Free Market” to cover the basic food items needed by Filipino families will not work in the country given our peculiar geographical realities.
To bring down food prices and address inflation, government must take a direct involvement in the consolidation, repositioning and marketing of the basic food needs of our people.
By building “virtual” bridges between production areas and the market leading to the kitchen of Filipino families, farmers will earn more while consumers will pay less.
There has to be a system and a government instrumentality which should handle this delicate task of ensuring available and affordable food for Filipinos without necessarily keeping legitimate agricultural traders out of business.
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!
(Photo downloaded from Philippine Star website.)