BEYOND ELLIPTICALBy Rose Marie de la Cruz LAST June 16, I read an article at the Khaleej Times of India that Indian farmers are embracing the use of biofertilizers in their farms as a result of the difficulty of obtaining chemical fertilizers because of the Middle East war. Ironically, we have a commercial producer of biofertilizer in our country, but …
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THE proposed P727-million Baloganon-Sitio Coto, Taltal farm-to-market road (FMR) has been cleared by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), a significant milestone for the implementation of the country’s largest rural infrastructure projects. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. officially awarded the No Objection Letter 1 (NOL 1) for the 26-kilometer Masinloc mega FMR subproject to Masinloc Mayor Hazel …
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CONGRESS is being asked to allow the Department of Agriculture to be free to choose what rice seeds to push for planting by rice farmers, instead of sticking to just inbred seeds as envisioned in the amendments to the Rice Tariffication Enhancement Fund (RCEF). The tariffs collected on imported rice are lumped in RCEF, which in turn funds subsidized rice …
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THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has proposed P220 billion for its proposed 2027 budget to bolster the local farm sector. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the proposed budget is P60 billion more than the P160- billion ceiling set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). DA’s 2026 budget is P215 billion. The DA is also asking P32 …
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ABOUT 1,000 Arabica coffee seedlings will be planted in Barangay Happy Hollow in Baguio City to strengthen the city’s production and circular economy program. Aileen Refuerzo, chief of the Baguio City Information Office, said the seedlings will come from the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region. The plantation site was provided by the Camp John …
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By Rose de la Cruz FOR OVER a month now, officials of the Department of Agriculture continue to stall on the inclusion of Bio N biofertilizer in the agency’s farm inputs subsidy program despite its potential to reduce production costs and improve farmers’ productivity by restoring soil health. The National Confederation of Irrigators Association (NCIA) Inc. wrote Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu …
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BEYOND ELLIPTICALBy Rose Marie de la Cruz AS FAR as I can remember, I have been writing decades ago about government studies of corn as bioethanol fuel feedstock, whenever there is a fuel crisis. After that, the studies gather dusts. Now that we are again facing fuel shortage because of the Iran war with (US-backed) Israel, we are revisiting such …
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The Philippines sent a trial shipment of its famed Guimaras mangoes to Brussels, Belgium,last June 10 to break into Europe’s high-end tropical fruit market. The Bureau of Plant Industry said 100 kilograms of fresh mangoes from the PhilGAP-certified Wonders Farm in Jordan, Guimaras made up the initial delivery. Officials intend for the Belgian capital to serve as a gateway to …
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THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is working at repopulating the swine sector— badly hit by the African Swine Fever in recent months– though stronger biosecurity measures and science-based restocking programs for the industry’s recovery and food security. …
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THE NATIONAL Dairy Authority is eyeing more cattle imports and stronger funding streams to whip the industry into higher productivity. The country’s dairy industry remains import-dependent for decades, as local production can only meet a miniscule amount due to the lack of sufficient government funding, private sector investments and proper infrastructure. The country is now gearing to meet a milk …
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The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business