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The Department of Agriculture (DA) is turning to biotechnology to strengthen one of the Philippines’ biggest agricultural exports, unveiling the country’s first seaweed bioreactor to produce disease-free planting materials year-round and raise productivity across the industry as part of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. sustainable program for agriculture. Installed at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) are shifting into high gear against the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), rolling out drones, chemical spraying, financial aid, and long-term biological controls to contain an outbreak threatening the country’s sugar industry, particularly in Negros Island and Western Visayas. The DA has earmarked P35 […]
Lower food prices, particularly rice, helped cool inflation in June, prompting Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to push for the extension of the government’s price cap on imported rice while sustaining efforts to keep food supplies ample and markets stable. Headline inflation eased to 6.4 percent in June from 6.8 percent in May, according […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to preserve the iconic Ifugao Rice Terraces as mounting climate pressures, aging infrastructure, and changing farm economics threaten one of the country’s most important agricultural heritage landscapes. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. visited Banaue to assess the condition of the rice terraces, inspect critical agricultural infrastructure, […]
The Philippines and Denmark have launched a pilot project aimed at modernizing the country’s offshore fishing industry, introducing advanced Danish midwater trawl technology to improve fish production, strengthen scientific fisheries management, and promote sustainable harvesting practices. The Partnership Agreement, signed by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Danish […]
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 […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered the reconvening of the Department of Agriculture’s El Niño task force to prepare the country for a potentially severe episode later this year, warning that the prolonged dry spell could hit crop production, hurt farmers’ incomes, and drive up food prices. “It is imperative that we put […]
The Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC) has rolled out a loan payment moratorium for qualified farmers and fisherfolk, as the government steps up efforts to shield rural livelihoods from the ongoing energy crisis and rising production costs. The measure is anchored on Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 2, series of […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. struck an optimistic tone on the country’s food security outlook, assuring the public that government measures are keeping rice supply stable despite rising global oil prices and farm input costs. At the same time, Tiu Laurel firmly pushed back against claims raised in recent hearings that imported rice is […]
The Department of Agriculture rolled out the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program in Makati City, bringing subsidized rice to one of the country’s wealthiest urban centers while underscoring a growing reality that even affluent cities are not insulated from economic strain caused by soaring petroleum product prices. Around 750 beneficiaries were served during the ceremonial […]