Agriculture

MANILA, Philippines – The global market value of biotechnology crops reached $7.5 billion in 2008, up from $6.9 billion in 2007.

Brussels30 March 2009 (ITUC OnLine): A new report released by the International Trade Union Confederation predicts a worsening of the already serious global food crisis unless urgent action is taken by governments and international agencies. The number of people without enough to eat increased by 150 million in 2008, and the global economic crisis is…

Let me thank your associate editor, Ms. Marichu Villanueva for mentioning in her column (“Resolve,” 01/02/09) the farm-friendly measures that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is endorsing for congressional approval this year. As she had noted, one of the measures that the DA is supporting is new legislation amending the Agri-Agra Law, also known as…

The agriculture sector managed to post a growth of 3.92 percent last year, with agricultural production value rising by almost 20 percent to P1.16 trillion.

The year 2008 started promisingly. Higher production targets were set for palay and corn. The hog and poultry sector were continuing their recovery while the fisheries sector sustained its growth.

2007 is likely to be a banner year for the economy. After last year’s respectable 5.4 percent, gross domestic product (GDP) should grow by between 6.9 percent and 7.3 percent—a 20-year record. The surge should continue in 2008 (6.4 percent to 6.7 percent) and peak in 2009, when Citigroup projects GDP to expand by as…