BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental’s Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson assured Negrenses that the provincial government is exploring ways to minimize the impact of food shortages projected to hit the country in the last few months of 2022.
He ordered the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) to submit recommendations.
“We will do our best to avoid a food shortage,” Lacson said, even as he pointed out that such shortage won’t be unique to country but is predicted to be global.
The looming food crisis is being blamed to the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Both countries are the world’s top exporters of grains, especially wheat.
Department of Agriculture secretary William Dar recently urged the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to ensure unimpeded movement of food products as some countries have imposed restricted exportation of agricultural commodities due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
The crisis is also further being exacerbated by some countries who have imposed export restrictions on food products.
Dar pointed out the Philippines is import-reliant as local food production is not enough to fully meet the population’s demand.
He also proposed scaling up local production by launching part two of DA’s “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program./PN
