DILIMAN, Quezon City —Amid runaway transport costs brought about by high prices of fuel, toll gate operators have agreed to a one-month exemption for trucks carrying agricultural commodities, agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Tuesday.

The agriculture chief expressed gratitude to the toll operators for their support to the government's initiative to ease the burden on the trucking sector who have indicated their difficulties in continuing to deliver much-needed farm produce due to high cost of gasoline and diesel.

“Yesterday, they agreed to suspend the toll fees on (agricultural) trucks (for one month),” Tiu Laurel told the media in a press briefing.

Citing that toll operators will make announcements today on the the toll fee moratorium, he notet that the agreement includes operators of the South Luzon Expressway, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway and Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway.

In addition, he likewise disclosed that they are working on facilitating the transport of agricultural products as part of efforts to protect the agriculture sector and consumers from rising costs.

“If the rate cannot be reduced, at least give priority to our (agricultural) goods because a truck’s wait(ing time) to be boarded onto a (roll-on/roll-off ship) also degrades the quality (of produce) and [further increases] losses,” he enthused.

Among other initiatives already being implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA) are fuel subsidies of P5,000 and P3,000 each for farmers and fisherfolk, respectively, and P2,325 cash assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) program.

In the meantime, the DA has also requested that 38 trucks previously granted to farmer cooperatives and associations and local government units (LGUs) be used to hauling produce from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) if needed to avoid wastage due to delivery delays or lack of transport.

Based on reports, vegetable farmers in Benguet and nearby provinces are currently struggling with oversupply and weak market absorption and due to high transport expenses, the concern has prompted the government to address the worsening the situation.

Tiu Laurel pointed out that at least 590 metric tons of agri produce are urgently need to be moved and to respond to this, five Kadiwa trucks are already being used for hauling.