NESTLÉ Philippines said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) may not be beneficial to the entire coffee industry, after specialty growers said the trade agreement could be an opportunity for the part of the sector than can successfully market its beans with distinctive geographical indications (GIs). “We believe that overall, RCEP will boost free trade […]
Tag: farmers
P2.6M worth of onions sold directly to consumers and institutions — DA
ONION farmers were able to directly sell about P2.589 million worth of their harvests to consumers and institutional buyers through with assistance from government, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday. In a statement, the DA said farmer cooperatives and associations were able to market 3,478 kilograms of red onions worth P755,455 and 5,106.38 […]
SRA calls for sale of smuggled sugar at Kadiwa stores
THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said sugar seized from smugglers should be sold to the public via the Department of Agriculture’s (DA’s) Kadiwa stores. In a statement on Tuesday, SRA Administrator David John Thaddeus P. Alba said the SRA will recommend to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the sale of 80,000 bags of sugar seized […]
Local onion farmers can meet demand with adequate gov’t support
THE SENATE minority leader slammed government “decision makers” for pursuing policies in the agriculture industry that choke onion farmers, who can readily meet the country’s demand given ample support. “Our onion farmers have never been tested because they have never been fully supported in maximizing their output potential,” Senate Minority Floor Leader Aquilino Martin “Koko” […]
Pork supply exceeds demand, Senate panel finds, casting doubt on gov’t import policy
By Alyssa Nicole O. Tan, Reporter THE Senate Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform Committee was told that the supply of pork exceeded demand in each of the years since 2019, raising questions about the government’s pork import policy. Senator Cynthia A. Villar, who chairs the committee hearing, on Monday cited data indicating a pork surplus […]
100 coconut stakeholders join market orientation in Carmen
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Cebu has been helping coconut farmers find market access for their coconut products. At least 100 coconut stakeholders in Carmen, Cebu joined the agency’s market orientation and dialogue on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. DTI-Cebu Director Rose Mae Quiñanola said the activity aims to widen the market information […]
Sugar producers seek price increase after storm
SUGAR PRODUCERS are lobbying the government to raise its price guidance for sugar sold by major supermarkets from the current P70 per kilogram (kg), to account for the crop damage inflicted by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (International name: Nalgae). United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) President Manuel R. Lamata said in a statement that the association […]
Small-farmer insurance bill filed in Senate
A BILL seeking to expand the coverage of the crop insurance program to include small farmers has been filed at the Senate. The Philippines’ “vulnerability to disasters and (their) disastrous effect on agricultural productivity calls for a more permanent and long-term solution that will ensure that the agricultural sector, especially small farmers, are protected and […]
Senate bill proposes agriculture database focused on improving market intelligence
A SENATE BILL is seeking to consolidate and integrate all agricultural databases to improve market intelligence on where produce is in demand, thereby strengthening the farm-to-consumer value chain, including to global markets. “The government needs to provide the infrastructure and the mechanism that would enable our farmers to sell their output where there is demand,” […]
Legislation to revive salt industry goes before TWG
THE House Committee on Agriculture and Food has tasked a technical working group (TWG) to work on the draft of House Bill 1976, which seeks to revive the salt industry. “This bill is a product of numerous consultations with… salt producers and representatives from government agencies,” Kabayan Party-list Representative Ron P. Salo, the author of […]
Fuel subsidy distributed to 10,000 farmers, fisherfolk in Soccsksargen
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is currently distributing a tranche of the fuel subsidy to nearly 10,000 registered farmers and fisherfolk in Soccsksargen. “One of the most substantial operational expenses in farming and fishing is fuel,” the DA said in a statement. As of Sept. 27, oil companies have raised the price of fuel by […]
Solon bats for P521-M additional budget to improve agri sector database system
A LAWMAKER on Tuesday asked the House Committee on Appropriations to provide an additional P521 million to the Department of Agriculture’s 2023 budget for the upgrade of its database management system for a more efficient delivery of aid and services to farmers and fisherfolk. “It is crucial that farmers and fisherfolk to register to the […]
Lives destroyed as armyworms invade Philippine ‘onion capital’
BAYAMBANG — In the northwestern Philippine town of Bayambang, long known as the onion capital of Pangasinan province, an invasion of the crop-devouring armyworms has stolen farmer Merlita Gallardo’s income — and her husband. The family’s half hectare of onion fields — which once brought them a lucrative income — has been ravaged by the […]
Farm damage from typhoon estimated at P2.02 billion
AGRICULTURAL damage caused by Typhoon Karding (international name: Noru) has hit P2.02 billion, the Department of Agriculture said. The storm damaged an estimated 150,693 hectares of farmland and affected over 91,944 farmers and fisherfolk, resulting in lost production of 117,663 metric tons. Damage and losses were reported in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, the Cagayan […]
House bill filed mandating gov’t to buy local farmers’ produce for relief, feeding programs
A BILL has been filed in the House of Representatives mandating the government to purchase produce from local farmers for calamity relief operations and school feeding programs. House Bill 3382 seeks to ensure that national agencies and local governments prioritize available local supply when sourcing food requirements for social services. “It is only fitting to […]
ACEF seen benefiting importers, not farmers
THE Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF), which is funded by import tariffs on farm goods, contains a built-in incentive to import more food and generate more revenue for the government, to the detriment of the farmers it was designed to help, legislators said. The House committee on agriculture and food, which is evaluating proposals to […]
Funding for onion farmers at P100 million
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has earmarked more than P100 million to help onion farmers acquire inputs and production facilities. Funding levels for the industry in 2022 so far include P47.48 million for seed, seedlings and fertilizer, P35.67 million for production and post-harvest facilities, irrigation network services, and farm production machinery and equipment, […]
Fertilizer being tailored to rice-growing locations
THE Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said it is developing location-specific fertilizer for rice farmers to make their operations more cost-effective at a time of high input costs. “Farmers’ resources have now become more limited because of high fertilizer costs. Meanwhile, current practices show that if farmers continue to apply fertilizers that are not appropriate […]
LANDBANK waiting for DA list of beneficiaries for P5,000 aid
THE Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) said it is waiting for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to complete its list of rice farmer beneficiaries eligible for P5,000 in aid, which will be implemented via the issuance of cash cards. “The bank is dependent on the submission from the DA of the list of accounts […]
Rice seed program targets farmers tilling 1.8M hectares
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it hopes to distribute inbred and hybrid seed to farmers tilling 1.8 million hectares (ha) across 15 regions, to provide relief from high input costs. The DA’s National Rice Program (NRP) will handle the operation, which targets adequate distribution in time for the wet and dry cropping seasons. More […]