Agriculture

by Louise Maureen Simeon – The Philippine Star, 4 Dec 2021 MANILA, Philippines — Consolidating small farmers in the Philippines into cooperatives and organizations could improve income levels and help the agriculture sector contribute more to economic growth in the country.

by Karl R. Ocampo, 2 Aug 2021 The performance of the country’s agriculture sector for the past five years fell short of the Duterte administration’s goal to raise the industry’s productivity by at least 2.5 percent yearly as it was overwhelmed by several challenges.

By Karl R. Ocampo, 29 Jul 2021 President Duterte had promised in previous editions of his State of the Nation Addressed that under his administration, the agriculture sector would be modernized, food prices would be lowered and that the “Plant, Plant, Plant” (PPP) flagship program would jumpstart urgently needed innovations in the vital sector.

by Karl R. Ocampo, 10 Jul 2021 Despite several attempts to revive the Philippine agriculture industry, a World Bank report showed that the local farm sector had remained the laggard in Asia due largely to misdirected policies.

By: Ernesto M. Ordoñez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 29 May 2021 On May 14, a total of 95 private sector organizations held numerous consultations, then conducted a National Farmer–Fisherfolk Congress. They subsequently signed a “Unity Statement in Saving the Plunging Livelihood of Filipino Farmers and Fisherfolk and Addressing the Critical Situation of Philippine Agriculture and Food…

by Madelaine B. Miraflor, 14 May 2021 The country’s food producers – farmers, fishermen, and livestock raisers – are now facing the worst crisis in years. This was declared by United Broiler Raisers’ Association (UBRA) President Bong Inciong during the Farmers and Fisherfolks Congress on Friday. According to Inciong, the country’s food producers are now…

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By: Armand Galang, Karl R. Ocampo, Marlon Ramos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 29 Sep 2020 CABANATUAN CITY—Left with no choice, Donie Roberto, a farmer in Barangay Bitas here, has to sell his rice harvest at P15.50 a kilogram, just a little above production cost.

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by Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star), 1 September 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Gender inequality is still rampant in the country, even in the farm sector as male farmer workers were paid more last year than their female counterparts.

By: Karl R. Ocampo, Tonette Orejas, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 23 Jun 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The P1.8-billion fertilizer supply deal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) under its COVID-19 response program is not only overpriced but has also forced farmers to turn to loan sharks, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano said on Monday.

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By Jasper Y. Arcalas, Businessmirror, 26 Feb 2020 Farmers in Buguias, Benguet, are rushing to harvest their white radish in this photo. The Department of Agriculture is implementing a program that will encourage rice planters to cultivate other crops.

Farmers like Mang Dante struggle to survive the severe effects of the rice tariffication law. It’s because of stories like his that farmers need your moral and financial support. by Lorelei Baldonado Aquino, Rappler, 27 Jan 2020 What extreme circumstance could have possibly compelled a 58-year-old farmer to take his own life? That question has…

by INQUIRER.net, 14 Jan 2020 MANILA, Philippines — Some P577.39 million worth of crops and livestock have already been ravaged by the phreatic eruption or steam-driven episode of Taal Volcano, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday.

By Manuel Cayon, Businessmirror, 8 Jan 2020 A farmer starts plowing his rice field in Pampanga after a brief rainfall in this file photo. DAVAO CITY—Government would aim to raise local rice production than imports this year when local rice farmers begin to reap the benefits of government intervention last year, the Department of Agriculture…

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By: Karl R. Ocampo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 25 Nov 2019 MANILA, Philippines–Prices of widely used fertilizers continued to go up in October amid record-low prices for crops especially palay.

By: Christia Marie Ramos, INQINQUIRER.net, 17 Nov 2019 MANILA, Philippines — It is “crucial” for the government to “act now” and compensate farmers for losses amounting to P61.77 billion due to flood of rice imports, Senator Francis Pangilinan said.

by Ian Nicolas Cigaral (Philstar.com) – 15 Nov 2019 MANILA, Philippines — More young and educated workers are leaving the Philippine agriculture sector than entering and staying in it in search of stable income and better working conditions, a government study released Friday found.

by Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star), 21 Oct 2019 MANILA, Philippines — The government’s offer of a one-time P5,000 cash assistance to the country’s farmers is of little worth, as the rice industry’s liberalization has cost them way more than that, a farmers’ group said over the weekend.

MAPPING THE FUTURE By: Rolando T. Dy, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 14 Oct 2019 Why is rural poverty in the Philippines (30 percent) about 2.5 times that of Asean peers? The reasons emanate from agriculture growth and exports.

‘Puwede namang sabay at hindi isa lang ang pagpipilian,’ says Senator Francis Pangilinan as the government mulls transitioning 23 provinces from rice farming to raising other crops by Rappler.com, 12 Oct 2019 MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Pangilinan on Saturday, October 12, called for a thorough study of the government proposal to shift 23 provinces…

By CNN Philippines Staff, 11 Oct 2019 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 11) – The farm gate price of unmilled rice or palay is now at its lowest level since 2011, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

by Boo Chanco (The Philippine Star), 23 Aug, 2019 By the reckoning of Agriculture Secretary William Dar, it would take six years for the RCEF (Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund) to make our rice farmers competitive to imports.

by Boo Chanco (The Philippine Star) – Aug 12, 2019 Newly installed Agriculture Secretary William Dar is on the right path. He is targeting to double farmers’ income in five years and grow agriculture production by at least three percent annually.

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by Julie M. Aurelio, Karl R. Ocampo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jul 27, 2019 President Duterte said suspending the importation of rice during the harvest seasons would be a “happy compromise” between helping boost farmers’ income and making sure the staple would be available year-round.

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by Karlston Lapniten, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jun 17, 2019 BAGUIO CITY, Benguet, Philippines — The Philippines had planned to be self-sufficient in rice by 2017 and be at par with rice exporting countries like Vietnam and Thailand.