Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday said top pressing issues in the agriculture sector were all discussed in President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
This, after the Chief Executive started his speech recognizing the need to address Filipinos’ burden on spiking rice retail prices despite the country’s record-high harvest, considering the effects of El Niño phenomenon and other global challenges.
“Sa dami ng ating kailangang asikasuhin sa Department of Agriculture, hindi kaya talagang mapasok sa SONA. But I think naparating naman ni Presidente ang lahat ng pinakamaimportanteng ma-address (Among the bulk of issues needed to be addressed in the Department of Agriculture, it cannot be all included in the SONA. But I think, the President was able to deliver all important topics),” he said in an ambush interview at the Batasan Pambansa Complex.
Among the areas mentioned during the SONA include the prioritization of local palay production, distribution of seedlings and fertilizers, as well as training to farmers, modernization of farming, operations of Kadiwa centers for cheaper agricultural commodities, more support to fishers, and actions to combat agrifishery smuggling, among others.
Tiu Laurel, however, said there are unmentioned areas in the sector that Marcos ordered to be addressed.
“May utos si Presidente na bibigyan kami ng pondo for 2025 para ma-boost iyong seaweed production para maging number one tayo uli sa mundo (The President has the order to give us fund for 2025 to boost our seaweed production for us to regain our global top spot),” he said.
Earlier, the DA said the Philippines still has 85,000 hectares of unutilized area which is vital for the industry’s expansion plans.
In the 1990s, the Philippines was considered the world’s top seaweed exporter accounting for 80 percent of the global demand requirement.
Besides the seaweed industry, Tiu Laurel also cited the President’s instruction to focus on boosting aquaculture instead of capture fisheries.
In terms of post-harvest facilities, the DA chief said its construction will help the country prevent wastage of high-value crops like ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, among others.
“Magse-set up tayo ng maraming (We will set up many) cold storage facilities to complete the cold chain and that should increase our recovery of vegetables na dati tinatapon lang (that we previously dispose of),” he said in a separate interview with the People’s Television Network.
In January, the DA said it plans to build 5,000 pallet position cold storage to address concerns about oversupply of high-value crops and vegetables. (PNA)
Photo credit: Department of Agriculture Official Website