The Department of Agriculture has launched a sweeping investigation into several fertilizer suppliers with government contracts and temporarily halted the release of their stocks following complaints over product quality.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., on Thursday, March 5, directed procurement and warehouse officials to suspend the distribution of fertilizer from the companies while the DA, together with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, conducts a full review.
The review will determine if the products, flagged in preliminary FPA quality tests, meet government standards.
The firms named in the probe include Agri‑Victorious Trading Corporation, DQB Green Agricultural Products Trading, Valap Incorporated, Dos Asia Chemical Trading Corporation, and Rova Fertilizer Manufacturing.
Under the directive, no fertilizer stocks from the flagged suppliers may be released, distributed, or used until the review is completed and clearance is issued from the Office of the Secretary. All DA personnel must report pending deliveries, ongoing transactions, and related documentation to facilitate a comprehensive assessment.
Tiu Laurel did not hold back in condemning the alleged substandard products.
“We agreed to pay the price they bid, yet they delivered substandard products. That is highway robbery, and we will not allow it. They have no shame,” he said.
While the DA did not specify the exact nature of the complaints, the move signals a tougher stance on supplier accountability and input quality, a long-standing concern among farmers relying on government-supported fertilizer programs to manage rising production costs.
