Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has called for the accelerated implementation of programs to support local farmers and fishers, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s objectives for food security, accessibility, and affordability. Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of prompt action during a statement for the celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolk Month, urging public service workers to recognize the impact of their daily efforts on those in need.
According to Philippines News Agency, the programs highlighted by Tiu Laurel include raising the National Food Authority's (NFA) buying price for palay (unhusked rice) to benefit local farmers financially. The proposed prices range from PHP23/kg to PHP30/kg for dry palay and PHP17/kg to PHP23/kg for fresh or wet palay. Tiu Laurel also outlined plans for modernizing the NFA with additional warehouses and post-harvest facilities, tripling the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to PHP30 billion, and expanding the AgriPuhunan and Pantawid program along with the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.
On April 30, Tiu Laurel announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to operationalize a Command Center by the third quarter of the year. This center aims to monitor and track agricultural supply and data, enhancing the management of agricultural commodities.
The DA is also working on several initiatives to mitigate agricultural losses due to natural calamities. These include changing the cropping calendar, adopting wet-and-dry technology for rice cropping, improving climate-resilient crop varieties, establishing greenhouses, using drip irrigation and fertigation, procuring farm machinery to reduce post-harvest losses, and setting up cold storage facilities.
Since the start of the Marcos administration in June 2022, the DA has constructed 150 rice processing centers nationwide. The department plans to build an additional 22 centers this year and 30 more by 2026, further supporting the country's agricultural infrastructure and productivity.
