Categories
Government

TIU LAUREL: MONITOR IMPORTED RICE RETAIL PRICE

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered stricter market monitoring to ensure that the P43 per kilo maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on imported rice is enforced—despite the current suspension of rice importation. “Teams from AMAS (the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service) will visit markets where price increases on imported rice have been reported. […]

Categories
Government

TIU LAUREL CHAMPIONS PH MANGOES IN ITALY

Fresh, juicy, and undeniably Filipino is how Philippine mangoes sweetened-up the show at the “Serbisyo Caravan” in Rome, the Italian city once known as Caput Mundi—the capital of the world. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made a special stop at the mango booth during the World Food Forum events at the United Nations Food […]

Categories
Government

DA RECOGNIZES BATANES AS ORGANIC FARMING PROVINCE

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially declared Batanes as an “Organic Farming Practitioner Province,” a designation that is expected to enhance local livelihoods and position the province as a leading agro-tourism destination. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed the administrative order recently formalizing the recognition of Batanes as “organic by default”. Batanes’ 13,208.90 […]

Categories
Government

NO SUGAR IMPORTS UNTIL MID-2026 – TIU LAUREL

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr., Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Paul Azcona, and SRA Board Member and Farmers’ Representative Dave Sanson met recently to address concerns over the low prices of raw sugar seen during the first sugar bidding in Negros on October 9.  Sugar biddings are held weekly throughout the harvest season, typically spanning […]

Categories
Government

PH, BRUNEI SIGN PACT ON AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES

The Philippines and Brunei Darussalam recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in agriculture and fisheries, marking a renewed push for regional food security, trade, and sustainable development. The agreement, signed between the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture and Brunei’s Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism at the sidelines of the […]

Categories
Government

DA BRINGS P20/KILO RICE PROGRAM TO BATANES

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) visit to Batanes, one of the northernmost provinces of the Philippines, to roll out critical support for the local farming and fishing communities. The visit marked the official launch of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food program–“P20 Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”–in the province, […]

Categories
Politics

DA TURNS OVER AGRI MACHINERY TO BOHOL FARMERS

The promise of modern mechanization reached Bohol’s farmlands as the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), turned over 45 units of agricultural machinery and equipment to farmers’ cooperatives and associations across the province.The ceremonial awarding at San Jose, Talibon, gathered national and local officials, farmers’ representatives, and […]

Categories
Government

GOV’T EXTENDS BAN ON IMPORTED RICE UNTIL DECEMBER

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government will extend the ban on rice importation until the end of this year, allow imports only in January 2026, and reimpose the ban in February, to stabilize supply in time for the dry season harvest. Speaking before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture, Tiu Laurel […]

Categories
Government

DA: PH, JAPAN LOOKING AT MORE AGRICULTURAL TRADE

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi met on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Ministers Meeting to discuss deeper bilateral cooperation in agriculture, including enhanced trade, technology transfer, and sustainability efforts. A key focus of the bilateral talks was increasing Philippine […]

Categories
Government

DA EXPANDS P20/KILO RICE PROGRAM TO MASBATE

The National Food Authority (NFA) has mobilized truckloads of rice to storm‑ravaged Masbate—one of multiple relief measures ordered by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.—to alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands of families hit by Severe Tropical Storm Opong over the weekend. “For one month in Masbate, we will be selling ₱20 rice to […]