IKOT.PH
In a province known as the country’s main producer of rice, the Department of Agriculture is testing the commercial viability of a very different crop: the Australian redclaw crayfish. The DA is hopeful that the high value species can help reshape local aquaculture in Munoz, Nueva Ecija. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel led the ceremonial […]
The Department of Agriculture kicked off the expansion of the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!, the flagship food program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through local government units, betting that scale, tighter logistics, and steady state procurement can bring affordable rice to vulnerable Filipinos while shoring up farmers’ incomes. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led […]
A quiet but potentially transformative shift in Philippine agriculture is taking shape in this town named after the nut-producing tree, where a P500-million cold storage facility is nearing completion—an investment officials say could reshape farm incomes, stabilize food supply, and anchor a regional food logistics hub in the Bicol region. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is strongly backing the construction of a deepwater port in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, describing it as a structural solution to high food prices and long-standing farm-to-market bottlenecks. The proposed P2-billion Abra de Ilog Deep Water Port, to be implemented by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), is […]
The Province of Bulacan capped off 2025 with a major achievement after being recognized by the Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office III (DA-RFO III) as the Top Performing Province (Rank 1) for implementing programs, projects, and activities under the various banner programs of the DA.Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando lauded the province’s agriculture workers, farmers, and […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is zeroing in on one of the most volatile items in the Filipino kitchen: sili. With prices swinging sharply during the rainy season, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing a plan to ramp up production, harden farms against extreme weather, and bring more predictability to supply and prices. […]
Keeping palay prices fair, expanding P20-per-kilo rice and fast-tracking farm-to-market roads will be the toughest test of the Department of Agriculture heading into 2026, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. Tiu Laurel said the priorities are critical to sustaining rice production, keeping food affordable, and improving market access for farmers. “The most urgent challenge […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced an expansion of the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program, with a province-wide rollout in Pangasinan scheduled for January. The initiative is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration plan to reach 15 million households by the end of 2026. Branded “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”, the flagship food security program […]
As the country approaches the onion harvest season, Senator Kiko Pangilinan called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to intensify its anti-agricultural smuggling operations, warning that illegal imports could once again undermine local farmers and distort market prices. Pangilinan, the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have reaffirmed a moratorium on sugar imports until the end of harvest or further, citing stronger domestic raw sugar production and the need to prioritize locally produced sugar. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the policy, first announced on October 15, could be […]