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Government

DA TO MASS PRODUCE FUNGUS TO FIGHT SUGAR PEST

The Department of Agriculture is stepping up its battle against the destructive red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), ordering the mass production of a naturally occurring fungus that can suppress the pest before it inflicts more serious damage on the country’s sugar industry. Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Agriculture Secretary […]

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Government

DA PUSHES FOR DEV’T OF LOCAL LIVESTOCK VACCINES

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched a major effort to develop locally produced animal vaccines, betting on homegrown science to protect the livestock industry from devastating disease outbreaks and strengthen the country’s food security. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the signing of an agreement establishing the Animal Vaccine Development Program (AVDP), a […]

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Government

DA EYES RESTORATION OF PH HOG POPULATION

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to rebuild the country’s hog population while maintaining stable pork supplies and prices, underscoring the delicate balancing act between industry recovery and food security amid the lingering threat of African Swine Fever (ASF). The Philippines has yet to rebuild its hog population that was estimated around 13 […]

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Government

DA BATS FOR UNIFIED ACTION TO SUSTAIN LAGUNA LAKE

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is advocating a whole-of-government approach to ensure Laguna Lake remains productive for fisherfolk and fishpen operators, sustainable as a critical water source for Metro Manila, reliable for food security, and effective as part of the region’s flood control system. After a series of consultations with fisherfolk and aquaculture operators around […]

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Government

PH-JAPAN AGREE TO EXPAND FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP

The Philippines and Japan have broadened their agricultural partnership to include fisheries, a move expected to accelerate technology transfer, strengthen food security, and support the modernization of two sectors critical to millions of livelihoods. The enhanced Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC), signed during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan, upgrades a 2023 agriculture agreement […]

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Government

DA: PH MAKES 1ST SHIPMENT OF MANGOES TO CANADA

The Philippines made its first commercial shipment of fresh Carabao mangoes to Toronto, Canada on June 3, marking another milestone in the Marcos administration’s push to diversify export markets and reduce the country’s reliance on traditional agricultural buyers. The Department of Agriculture (DA) was part of send-off ceremony at the Philippine Airlines cargo terminal in […]

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Government

DA EYES HIGHER NFA PALAY BUYING PRICE

With a potentially severe El Niño on the horizon and farm input costs climbing amid global oil market disruptions, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is moving to reassure rice farmers that planting will remain a viable and profitable undertaking in the coming wet season. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. […]

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Government

DA: PH, VIETNAM EYE AGRI TRADE EXPANSION

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is moving to help deliver on a commitment by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vietnamese President Tô Lâm to expand bilateral trade to $20 billion, up from the current $15 billion, while seeking to narrow a persistent trade gap that heavily favors Vietnam. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said […]

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Government

PH TO JOIN 2027 HORTICULTURAL EXPO IN JAPAN

The Philippines formally pledged its participation in the International Horticultural Expo 2027 in Yokohama, positioning the event as both a trade platform and a showcase for climate-resilient agriculture during the State Visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Japan. At the ceremonial contract signing held recently in the capital city of Japan, Agriculture Secretary Francisco […]

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Government

PH, JAPAN STRENGTHEN AGRI-TECH TIES

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Philippines is stepping up agricultural cooperation with Japan to expand exports, modernize farming systems, and strengthen long-term food security following high-level meetings involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese officials. Tiu Laurel said talks with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture centered on technology exchange, logistics efficiency, and broader […]