Over 100 cold storage facilities all over Phl

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture is eyeing building close to a hundred cold storage facilities all over the country to help extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and high-value crops, as well as ensure supply and price stability,

The key features of these cold storage facilities are their sustainability and low cost of operation as these will be hybrid infrastructures that could be powered by electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, and those supplied by through the grid to ensure efficient and environmentally-friendly operations.

A total ?3 billion has been allocated by DA for the project in its aim of reducing farmers’ losses and boost food security.

Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel said that the use of ?1.5 billion in unprogrammed funds in 2024 to kick start the development of the cold storage network had been approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., while another ?1.5 billion was included by the DA in the General Appropriations Act for 2025.

“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,” he said. Most of the small facilities are expected to start operating this year.

Also lined up are two large facilities, one of which is expected to be built in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, and another in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, plus around 31 modular units across the country.

The construction of the large storage facilities is expected to take around 18 to 22 months after awarding the contract, with each facility to have a capacity of 2,800 to 3,500 pallet positions, depending on the products.

The DA will oversee and manage the mega-cold storage facilities through and in cooperation with local government units, and farmers’ cooperatives and associations to ensure efficient operations and community involvement.

On the other hand, the modular refrigerated warehouses are basically the size of a 40-foot container van and will have a capacity of between 7-15 metric tons, depending on the agricultural products to be stored. These warehouses are expected to be operational within three months of construction.

This project is part of a comprehensive logistics master plan designed by the DA through the Agriculture and Fisheries Logistics Office headed by DA assistant secretary for logistics Daniel Alfonso Atayde.

Aside from the cold storage facilities itself, it is also expected to develop a road network, agricultural seaports, and an integrated cold chain network to streamline the distribution of agricultural products throughout the country.

“The budget allocation for cold storage in 2025 is a strategic approach towards bolstering this critical aspect of the agricultural sector,” Atayde said, while also stressing the project’s importance in reducing farm losses, ensuring food security and price stability, as well as maximizing returns for farmers and fisherfolk. — (FREEMAN)