Agriculture

Usec Sebastian is feted by Vietnamese paper

Agriculture Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Leocadio S. Sebastian’s greatest contribution to the flourishing rice industry of Vietnam through the Smart MAP, which help them plan ahead the planting and harvesting of rice against salt intrusion from the Mekong River and climate change was recently feted by a Vietnamese newspaper following his recent visit to Hau Giang for the Vietnam …

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Rice production to hit 20MMT in 2023

The country’s rice production across all ecosystems is expected to hit 20 million metric tons, a report tracking the three quarters’ data of the Philippine Statistics showed. Compared to the output of 19.756 MMT harvested from 4, 804,591 hectares in 2022, this year’s rice production would hit 20.143 million MT reaped from 4,816,933 hectares or up by 386,193 metric tons. …

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DA Luzon Cluster A meets to finalize El Nino strategies

Officials of the Department of Agriculture in Regions 1,2,3 and CAR met yesterday to finalize strategies to ensure that food production would not greatly suffer with the ongoing El Nino, which would intensify by February to April 2024. Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Leocadio S. Sebastian asked the National Irrigation Administration in these regions to program more rationally the release.of …

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Government keeps lower tariff rates on food to control inflation

By Rose de la Cruz The continuing deficiencies in local supplies of vital food commodities, which are expected to be filled by imports, have prompted the government to maintain lower tariff rates on food imports to ensure that food inflation will not worsen. This, after the board of the National Economic and Development Authority– chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. …

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P776-M worth of excavators turned over to IAs

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and newly-confirmed Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel led in the turnover of P776 million worth of excavators to various irrigators’ associations in the country held at the Naval Supply Depot in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City on Thursday. The NIA, an attached corporation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), procured 141 units of excavators under …

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Inmates benefit from DA, DOJ project

A special joint project of the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Justice providing persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) livelihood and farm training inside prison camps, called the DAxDOJ Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security DAxDOJ RISE has been benefitting inmates who are now more confident about having a livelihood after their release. “Paglabas ko po dito, …

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Lanao farmers returnto rice farming

Many farmers in Lanao del Norte who abandoned rice farming because of significant yield losses are now returning because of improved harvests largely from the training given to them by a graduate of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Service Program (RCtEF RESP). A story on Queenie R. Notario, owner of a farm school in Bacolod, who began planning …

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The gospel of a successful hybrid rice farmer

By Rose de la Cruz Danilo Arcales Bolos is one farmer who has made a record in the country not just for his fete in producing 17 metric tons per hectare (even recently hitting 19 mt/hectare) for hybrid rice which he gladly shared with colleagues but also for having successfully raised his children until they finish their professions. On the …

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CA confirms DA Sec. Laurel

Newly-confirmed Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel went through the wringer of the Commission on Appointments without much difficulty because of the complete trust reposed on him by his best friend whom he supported in the national race, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. He vowed to make the entire agriculture sector profitable and attractive enough for the youth to engage in its …

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First R&D facility for agri machinery to operate in Nueva Ecija

The Department of Agriculture, through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) launched on Thursday the country’s first Agricultural Machinery Design and Prototyping Center (AMDPC). Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. led the inauguration of the 2,000-square meter facility located at PhilMech in the Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. “This …

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