The Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched a stricter, nationwide campaign against counterfeit, unregistered, adulterated, and illegally produced farm inputs, moving to shield farmers from financial and livelihood losses while ensuring fair competition for legitimate industry players.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has directed the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) to ramp up market surveillance and enforcement, covering both physical stores and online marketplaces, and to pursue all those allegedly involved in manufacturing or distributing illegal agricultural products. “Fertilizer is an investment for our farmers. When fake or substandard products are sold to them, it is not just their money that is lost. Their harvest and livelihood are at stake,” Secretary Tiu Laurel emphasized, underscoring that the government’s priority is to protect both farmers and law-abiding businesses.
The intensified action follows a major operation that began with a July 15 entrapment by the Talavera Municipal Police Station, supported by the FPA Regional Field Unit III, after a complaint from ROVA Manufacturing over alleged counterfeit fertilizer sales. Authorities raided a facility in Barangay Sta. Monica, Rizal, seizing a combined total of at least 778 bags of mislabeled and unregistered fertilizer valued at ₱748,150.00 across two sites. Products recovered included ROVA Carlly Grow, PLANTA, and King Harvest, all bearing the same FPA registration number allegedly used without authorization. The FPA has issued Stop Sale, Stop Use, Stop Move, and Hold orders for all seized items as investigations and related legal and administrative proceedings continue.
FPA Executive Director Glenn DC. Estrada reaffirmed the agency’s resolve, stating, “We are serious in our campaign against the proliferation of these adulterated and unregistered products that hurt not only legitimate businesses but also our farmers and overall farm productivity.” The FPA will strengthen intelligence-led inspections, increase oversight of digital sales channels, and collaborate with the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and local government units to dismantle illicit operations.
Beyond the immediate case, the crackdown carries broad significance for the agriculture sector and national food security. Substandard inputs can severely reduce crop yields, waste farmers’ limited capital, and disrupt production cycles, while unregulated goods undercut legitimate manufacturers and dealers by operating outside established safety and compliance standards. By keeping suspect inputs off the market, the DA aims to create a level playing field for registered businesses and secure the reliable farm output that underpins the country’s food supply. The agency noted that all cases remain subject to due process, with accountability to be determined through proper legal and administrative channels.
