Rice farmers in the Philippines recorded lower earnings during both the dry and wet harvest seasons last year despite having lower production cost. Photo by Andhika Y. Wiguna on Unsplash. Based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the total cost of rice farmers during...
Coconut farmers are now the poorest people in the agriculture sector, much poorer than when they were 30 years ago. This was the assessment of Danny Carranza, a coconut farmer and member the Kilusan Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (Katarungan). (MB FILE, Keith...
In addressing the continuous decline in palay prices, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) is asking the government to follow the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) and impose safeguard duties on rice imports instead of resorting to decisions such as the proposed suspension on the issuance of sanitary...
PMFTC Inc., the local affiliate of Philip Morris International, assured that the company is fully committed to help tobacco-farming communities in recovering from the coronavirus-induced economic crisis. Denis Gorkun, PMFTC president Denis Gorkun, PMFTC Inc. president, said that approximately...
The one-time financial assistance that the Senate directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to provide to rice farmers amid the declining prices of palay would not be enough, a group of rice farmers said. (MB file, Keith Bacongco) Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) National Manager Raul Montemayor...
Getting helpless over the Senate version of the proposed Coco Levy Act, coconut farmers will attempt to seek for the intervention of Senator Bong Go, the longtime aide of President Rodrigo Duterte, about the “unfavorable” provisions of the proposed bill that sought to release the P100-billion...
The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) has resulted in the retrenchment of hundreds of employees in the National Food Authority (NFA) and the removal of the government's power to regulate rice prices, but the state-run grains agency is making it clear that they are not in favor of calls to amend the law....
Farmers are seeking the intervention of lawmakers for the declining prices of palay, which was triggered by several factors including the National Food Authority’s (NFA) limited capacity to procure rice as well as traders’ decision to delay their purchase in anticipation of more imported rice...
From its original request of a P280-billion annual budget for next year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) may only end up with P129 billion for 2021, already including the portion of the stimulus package it has been requesting supposedly for this year. Agriculture Secretary William Dar...
Farmers usually make an income from their harvests. Especially now with more health-conscious individuals, their products are able to reach various markets all over the country. However, there are certain times such as natural disasters and diseases, when farmers would have to turn to other...
The Bureau of Customs further stepped up its campaign against rice smuggling even amid the coronavirus pandemic by conducting raids on warehouses suspected of storing illegally imported stocks of the grain in response to reports by concerned citizens. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo...
As the prices of palay sank to as low as P12 per kilogram (/kg) in some areas, Senator Risa Hontiveros agreed there is a need to amend the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) and promised to convince the law's author and fellow senator, Cynthia Villar, about it....
