Agriculture

The Sugar Regulatory Administration is allowing the importation of 434,000 metric tons of refined sugar to boost domestic supply and buffer stock to stave off spiralling prices following the end of the milling season. In Sugar Order No. 8, authorizing the importation, the SRA said the end of milling season and the finite supply of sugar prompted the decision to …

BEYOND ELLIPTICALBy Rose Marie de la Cruz Escalating conflict between Iran and Israel– highlighted by the recent bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities– would certainly bring supply imbalances for fertilizers, chemicals and other petrochemical products that would have far reaching effects on industries and agriculture.  An analysis done by SUR+ International, a global leader in trading excess chemical inventory and …

The red-striped soft-scale insect (RSSI) affecting sugar plantations in four provinces has damaged 1,505.82 hectares as of June 18– from just 87.04 hectares last May 22, prompting the Sugar Regulatory Administration to advise local government units affected to declare a state of calamity on these infected plantations. The affected barangays rose to 79 from 24 while affected farmers increased to …

The Philippine Coconut Authority was sent a tall order to plant 50 million coconut trees by 2026 amid rising global demand for coconut products particularly for nutritional and pharmaceutical industries and to enable the country to regain its reputation as a top producer and exporter of this product. The President wanted  ordered the Department of Agriculture to ensure that this …

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is finalizing a draft bill that would restore critical functions of the National Food Authority (NFA) to stabilize rice supply and prices in the country. The draft legislation follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of food security where  every Filipino household can access affordable staples, especially rice. Crucial to every Filipino’s nourishment, rice holds economic, …

Unable to meet current local requirements for onions, the Department of Agriculture is allowing the importation of red and yellow onions to meet such demand amid soaring domestic prices. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he had approved onion imports as allium inventories were expected to thin out in the latter part of the year, based on the latest …

BEYOND ELLIPTICAL By Rose Marie de la Cruz For several years now, the Philippines relied heavily on Vietnam for rice to address supply shortfalls amid growing demand and declining production from the impact of climate change. Currently it is looking at possibly sourcing its supplies from countries like India, Pakistan, Cambodia and Myanmar– all in the southeast– which though farther …

As regulator and watchdog of the fertilizer and pesticides sector both for imported and local farm chemicals, the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority under Executive Director Glenn Estrada led operatives of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-NCR in confiscating P4 million worth of unregistered and unlicensed farm chemicals recently. The FPA, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, said …

By Rose de la Cruz Even as the Department of Agriculture is still studying setting a floor price for palay (unmilled rice), a farm group —  Bantay Bigas —  is proposing that it set the minimum farmgate price of P21 per kilogram, to ensure a better return for the farmers. Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo said the floor price would …

The sweet mangoes of the Philippines made its debut shipment to Italy recently with the first batch of 500 kilograms arriving at Rome’s  Fiumicino Airport. This historic shipment was made possible through the collaboration between Filipino entrepreneurs, the Philippine Embassy in Rome and the Department of Agriculture. Sourced from the premier mango region of Pangasinan, the shipment underwent and passed …