MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has shared some items on his bucket list for the development of the agriculture sector, which include aiding farmers, improving research and development (R&D), and adopting new crop varieties.

“In terms of production, we have to help the farmers… We are trying to adopt new techniques for farming that will actually, I think, that we will be able to use – new technology, new variety, start with the R&D,” President Marcos said in an interview with the press on Monday in Malacañang.

“You know especially in the area of agriculture, the overarching issue is climate change,” the President said.

Farmers, Marcos said, are having a very tough time scheduling things because the weather keeps on changing.

And with the shocks that have hit the global economy as well as the supply chain problems that affect the sector, the government has to have many sources of supplies so that whatever happens it can source various products somewhere.

The President said he is coordinating with several other countries as well as his counterparts as he tries to develop what he refers to as non-traditional suppliers, particularly for the supply of fertilizer, wheat, rice and corn.

“Hopefully down the road, in the few years, we no longer have to worry about non-traditional supply because we will be able to produce enough for ourselves,” Marcos said.

The President admitted that the country’s agriculture sector is facing multifaceted problems as demand overtook production, which put pressure on prices, leaving the government with no choice but to import.

The country is in an emergency situation due to the neglect of the agricultural sector for many, many years, with local production way below the demand.

In the case of sugar and onion, the President said there is no record of how much of the commodity were actually in the country.

“We are starting to get a hand on it now. And so we are going to put in terms of sugar, I mentioned specifically before that we will now, from now on, maintain a two-month buffer stock that is to mitigate the speculation,” Marcos said.

“In terms of onions naman, ganoon pa rin ang sitwasyon. We are not producing as much as we consume, and therefore, we still have to import,” the chief executive said.

President Marcos pointed out, however, that scheduling importation is critical for both sugar and onion, and all of the other commodities to protect the local industry.

Imports have to come in at the proper time so those goods do not compete with local farmers, Marcos said.

“‘Pag maayos na ‘yan, that is one box that I’ve been – I will tell I’ve been able to tick… But we come back to the problem of production,” Marcos said.

“Then, we will have a [DA] secretary who will then take my place and will implement that plan. Basta’t alam nating nakakaintindi ito sa ating ginagawa. So those are the essential elements that I’m talking about,” the President said. (PCO)