MANILA, Philippines — Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to roll out a P3-billion initiative to construct 99 cold storage facilities nationwide, aiming to extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables and high-value crops, while ensuring price stability and food security.
In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the facilities would feature sustainable, cost-efficient designs powered by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, alongside electricity from the grid.
“This approach not only addresses immediate agricultural needs, but also aligns with broader environmental goals,” Tiu Laurel said.
The project, a cornerstone of the DA’s logistics master plan, aims to strengthen the agricultural supply chain by reducing post-harvest losses and improving the distribution of goods.
The plan, spearheaded by the Agriculture and Fisheries Logistics Office under Assistant Secretary Daniel Alfonso Atayde, includes cold storage facilities, road networks, agricultural seaports and an integrated cold chain system.
President Marcos has approved the use of P1.5 billion in unprogrammed funds for 2024 to initiate the project, while another P1.5 billion is allocated in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
“The unprogrammed funds will be spent to build around 65 small or modular chiller-type cold storage facilities across the country and a large cold storage facility to be built in Camarines Sur,” Tiu Laurel said.
Additional plans include two large facilities, potentially in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, as well as 31 smaller modular units.
Each large facility, designed to store 2,800 to 3,500 pallet positions, will take 18 to 22 months to complete, with operations managed by the DA in coordination with local government units and farmers’ cooperatives.
The modular units, akin to 40-foot container vans with 7 to 15 metric tons capacity depending on the agricultural products to be stored, will be operational within three months, offering a quicker solution for immediate storage needs nationwide.
The DA further noted that the investment in cold chain infrastructure aims to stabilize supply and prices, and enhance returns for farmers and fisherfolk which will benefit both producers and consumers to a sustainable agricultural economy.
“The budget allocation for cold storage in 2025 is a strategic approach towards bolstering this critical aspect of the agricultural sector,” Atayde said.