TRUCKS carrying agricultural goods are exempt from toll fees for one month starting April 20, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Friday.
“We thank our tollway concessionaires for embodying the bayanihan spirit. This will help cushion the impact of higher fuel prices on food supply and affordability, and help protect farmers’ incomes during these challenging times,” Tiu Laurel said.
The toll exemption was initiated by the Department of Agriculture (DA), together with the Department of Transportation and the Toll Regulatory Board, in response to high fuel prices resulting from the Iran war.
Logistical expenses add P2 to P5 to the retail price per kilogram of agricultural goods, the DA said.
Removing toll fees will stop added costs from being passed on to consumers. Lowering overhead expenses keeps farming profitable even as fuel costs cut into profits, the DA said.
To qualify for the toll exemption, trucks must be registered with Agriculture department regional offices’ Food Lane program. Drivers with unpaid toll balances may still join the program if they avail of the structured payment plans. The approved list will then be sent to the Toll Regulatory Board for monitoring and coordination.
The toll exemptions would result in savings of P1,500 to P3,000 for the trucks per trip, or P52 million to P105 million for a month, based on initial estimates by the DA.
Currently, some 1,162 accredited trucks can move up to 7 million kilograms of food daily, supporting around 3,500 farmers, the DA noted.
The number of trucks may still add up to 3,100 if the previously registered units renew their accreditation.
The program, which will run for only one month, may be extended, depending on the economic situation, said the DA, which has also deployed its own trucks in major food production areas such as Benguet, so farmers can deliver their produce to markets and prevent spoilage and bottlenecks.
While the initiative provides near-term relief, the DA acknowledged the need for longer-term reforms in logistics to protect the country’s food supply chain from oil price shocks.
