Customers sift through red onions at a stall in Divisoria market in Manila on Aug. 18, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The government will this year start construction of around 99 cold storage facilities meant to help extend the shelf life of produce and keep supply and prices stable, the Department of Agriculture said in a release Sunday.

The planned facilities, which are part of a P3-billion DA project, will have low operating costs and will be powered by renewable energy sources and by the power grid.

“This approach not only addresses immediate agricultural needs but also aligns with broader environmental goals,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

The DA said most of the smaller cold storage facilities — modular chillers that can store between 7 to 15 metric towns — are expected to be operational within the year.

Larger facilities will take longer, around 18 to 22 months to build, the DA said, adding there are plans to put those up in Camarines Sur as well as in Oriental Mindoro and Nueva Ecija.

“The DA will oversee and manage these mega-cold storage facilities through and in cooperation with local government units, and farmers' cooperatives and associations to ensure efficient operations and community involvement,” it also said.

Funding for the project will come from P1.5 billion in unprogrammed funds in the 2024 national budget and another P1.5 billion in the budget for this year.

"By improving the cold chain infrastructure, we will strengthen the agricultural sector, reduce farm losses, extend the shelf life of agricultural products, stabilize supply and prices, and ensure food security,” Tiu Laurel said.

Lack of cold storage facilities has contributed to produce being sold at a loss or left to spoil, and to price spikes in goods like onions.

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