THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday it plans to build major food hubs in Clark and Quezon province next year to help stabilize produce prices.
One of the hubs will be constructed on 30–50 hectares in the Clark complex in Central Luzon, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa told reporters.
The proposed Clark hub will be the main distribution center for produce from the north of Luzon.
The Quezon food hub will rise on 20-30 hectares, Mr. De Meza said.
He said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. approved the proposals in a meeting with agriculture officials on Tuesday.
“Yesterday, we were in Malacañang and the President initially agreed on these concepts,” Mr. De Mesa said.
The Philippines is adopting the practice from Thailand, which has about 20 major food hubs of 50 to 80 hectares each.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. wants the food hubs to incorporate cold storage facilities, Mr. De Mesa said.
The DA earlier this month sent a delegation to Thailand led by Mr. Laurel to explore best practices in farming, product development, and agricultural supply chain management. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza