The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced that the province of Leyte is now officially free from bird flu.

No more bird-flu

Delays in rollout of ASF vaccine

Red tape strikes again 

Properly frozen and stored confiscated fishery and meat products imported from abroad must be declared as such and put in reserve stockpile for use in emergencies.

Why not use seized food products for calamities?

A prescription by one of the largest farm groups in the country for government to first check the disconnect between farmgate and retail prices of agricultural products is, by far, the most practical, realistic and intelligent voice I heard these days since my experience yesterday buying onions from a non-trader but whose relative in Nueva Ecija asked them to sell at the street side of Tandang Sora showed a disparity of more than half compared to retail prices in the wet market.

Check disconnect in farmgate, retail prices

To ensure that more consumers are able to buy cheaper food items– particularly veggies– and that farmers have a ready market for their produce– the Department of Agriculture is adding 71 more Kadiwa stores by the end of December.

More Kadiwa stores by end-December

Another myopic bill – that granting the Department of Agriculture the task of directly importing rice just because the substantial reduction on tariffs on rice imports did not lead to reduced retail prices of the staple– is being eyed at the Lower House, which could lead to a split personality for the DA.

DA's direct rice importation 'pointless'

Government officials claim Filipinos are turning to agriculture – but it’s not the sector most had expected to take over the reins from what they lamented is an “aging” occupation.

NIA: Retirees turning to agriculture

Music to importers’ ears

What importers are eagerly awaiting is for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to announce that it is looking at allowing the importation of a “small quantity’ of vegetables, which it just did,  and this is good music to their ears.

DA eyes imports of ‘small’ volume of veggies

Poultry farmers in Leyte can now be assured that their farms are safe from the threat of avian influenza, more commonly known as “bird flu.”

Leyte now bird flu-free

For months now, I have been “advising” the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) not to be over-dreaming their palay production and rice inventory figures, which reality like extreme weather patterns could wipe out in just seconds.

DA

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