Not even the best scenario of one- to two-percent growth for the agriculture sector can be achieved this year because of the damage from crops from El Niño during the first half of the year and the threats of further losses from the coming La Nina, either this month until October.

1-2% agri growth 'unattainable'

As the country was able to save P3.6 billion (or 300,000 tons of rice) from reduced wastage, the Department of Agriculture, through the Philippine Rice Research Institute, is now trying to institutionalize the practice of serving (by restaurants, carinderias and other dining centers) of half cup rice to customers to ensure that wastage would continue to decline.

What, an EO for half rice?

By now nobody remembers the numerous anomalies perpetrated by the National Food Authority (NFA) when it monopolized the rice market from 1972 to 2019.

Restoring the NFA's market stabilizer myth

While it is good to hear that next to Costa Rica, the Philippines is the second largest pineapple exporter in the world because of the rising demand from China, most people don’t know the exploitative conditions for contractual workers employed by the industry.

Bitter reality of PH’s pineapple industry

Japan lifts ban on strawberry exports

Dalawang lungsod at isang bayan sa lalawigan ng Laguna ang may naitala nang kaso ng African Swine Fever (ASF), ayon sa pamahalaang panlalawigan. 

ASF, nakapasok na sa Laguna

This early, election promises are flying everywhere with rice being eyed at P36 per kg. by 2025– a midterm election period by the Department of Agriculture– when it could not even assure prices of P40/k this time in wet markets and other outlets.

P36-per-kilo rice in 2025?

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is setting up, starting today, Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) kiosks in two stations of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit 1 – where foot traffic is huge – to sell well-milled rice “with no limits” for P40 a kilo.

Kadiwa kiosks sell cheaper rice

At least 10 bays in Eastern Visayas are now placed under a shellfish ban due to the presence of red tide, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Red tide alert in 10 EV bays

The US Department of Agriculture projects that the Philippines would import this year a record high of 5 million metric tons of rice – beating its 2022 record of 3.83 MMT.

In Focus: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Latest News