The Department of Agriculture (DA) is now making rounds nationwide to prevent the selling of fake fertilizers to farmers, an official said on Tuesday, August 2.
DA Undersecretary-designate for consumer and political affairs Kristine Evangelista said the agency has received several reports about fake fertilizers that are being sold to agri workers.
“Our regional offices are doing the rounds now checking all the areas kung saan po mayroong fertilizers (where they have/sell fertilizers),” Evangelista said during a “Laging Handa” briefing.
“Ang regional offices po natin ay tinitingnang mabuti ‘yung sources ng fertilizers to ensure na ‘yung mga binebentang fertilizer ay hindi peke (Our regional offices are thoroughly checking the sources of fertilizers to ensure that the fertilizers being sold are not fake)," she added.
According to Evangelista, the agriculture department has already escalated the matter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“From then, we will look into how to regulate and to make sure na hindi po nakakarating ang mga pekeng fertilizer kasi kawawa naman po ang ating mga magsasaka. ‘Pag peke po ‘yan, hindi po mabisa, sayang po ang kanilang pera (From then, we will look into how to regulate and to make sure that the fake fertilizers won't reach our farmers because it will be such a pity. If it's fake, it won't be effective, and their money is wasted),” she said.
Fertilizers are vital for farmers to have a better yield. They supply one or more of the chemical elements required for plant growth.
On August 1, Evangelista and other officials of the DA met with President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr to discuss measures that the DA will undertake to help farmers.
Marcos has earlier ordered the agriculture department to help farmers improve the yield of their crops for the country to have a sufficient food supply.