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'

Reducing tariffs on rice and other food items from 35 to 15 percent until 2028 is not expected by many in the agriculture sector to reduce prices of these items in the local market, but would only redound to the importers and their business interests.

Reduced tariffs won’t lower rice prices

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

As part of efforts to entice the youth to become agriculturists, the University of the Philippines - Los Baños campus (UPLB) is set to offer free review classes for students taking the board exam for agriculturists.

Free review classes for aspiring agriculturists

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

Alert up in limited areas

Despite red tide alert in some parts of Eastern Visayas, authorities denied there is an ongoing shellfish ban. 

No Shellfish Ban in EV

Even with the issuance last week of Executive Order No. 62, reducing imported rice tariffs from 35 to 15 percent, effective July 6, farmers would not take this sitting down and are filing a petition for temporary restraining order before the Supreme Court.

‘Unreasonable’ rice tariff cuts questioned

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has announced its intention to take legal action against officials of the Tariff Commission regarding Executive Order (EO) 62, which reduces tariffs on various agricultural products.

Legal action vs. agri tariffs

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

After denying projections of higher rice imports this year and next, the Philippines is finally admitting that it had imported more rice in the first five months this year, totalling 2.3 million metric tons (MT) based on data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

In Focus: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

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