The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to open a cold storage facility in Pili, Camarines Sur, by late February or early March.
“This investment strengthens food security, creates jobs, attracts agri-investments, and—most importantly—raises incomes of farmers, fishers, and everyone in the agriculture value chain across Bicol and neighboring regions,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr said.
The facility will contain six refrigerated warehouses with a total of 2,688 pallet positions that can hold 4,600 metric tons (MT) of boxed meat or 3,000 MT of vegetables at full capacity.
It would also be equipped with a blast freezer, processing and packing areas, and solar power system to lower electricity costs and boost operational efficiency.
The agency said thr facility could help stabilize food supply, boost farm incomes, and create a regional food logistics hub in the Bicol region.
For his part, Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the DA for supporting what he described as the largest and most modern cold storage facility in the Bicol region.
“This won’t just serve Camarines Sur. It will support the entire Bicol region, the Visayas, and even Mindanao,” he added.
The DA said the facility would allow farmers to store, process, and time the sale of their produce instead of selling perishable goods at disadvantageous prices, noting that this option has not been available in rural areas for so long.
Tiu Laurel also mentioned that the DA has allocated another P500 million for a complementary food hub, with construction expected to begin in June and run for 12 months.
“With a complete food system in place, our farmers and fisherfolk can access higher-value markets and even export. That means more income, more jobs, and greater food security,” he said.