THE government aims to decongest food distribution in Metro Manila by redirecting some deliveries through Clark and other potential hubs, a Department of Trade (DoTr) official said.

During an interview with The Manila Times, Trade Undersecretary Mary Jean Pacheco said the three-year food logistics plan could revolutionize the country's food distribution system.

Pacheco said consumers worry about high food prices "because there's inefficiency in the system."

The plan includes the digitalization of food terminals, streamlining the process, and reducing costs by linking buyers directly to suppliers through information technology solutions.

Pacheco said food deliveries pass through reaching the market.

"Once you get it from the farm, how many traders you're passing it on? So that part is what we're trying to do under the food logistics agenda by making it more efficient," she said.

The plan incorporates six strategies, with the primary focus on reducing wastage and high food prices.

Pacheco said one of the initiatives is the establishment of a national food hub in Clark, Pampanga, that will serve as a central point for produce from various regions like Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Benguet and Quezon.