Agriculture
DA completes warehouse upgrades in Cagayan Valley
SANTIAGO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA), through its Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) program, has completed the rehabilitation of six out of ten National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses across Region II—a key step in strengthening the country’s grain storage and food security system.
CAT denies link to Hacienda Luisita payout after shares surged
Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) on Friday denied it stands to benefit from a potential multi-billion-peso compensation tied to a recent Court of Appeals (CA) ruling in favor of Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI).
DAR appeals ₱28-B Hacienda Luisita payout order
The Land Bank of the Philippines on Thursday said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) had asked the Court of Appeals in May to reconsider its order requiring the government to pay just compensation of ₱28.48 billion to Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI). The order arose from a Supreme Court ruling mandating the distribution of 4,500 hectares of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
RSSI infestation in Visayas sugarcane farms widens
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Thursday reported that the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation in Visayan sugarcane fields has expandedw to 1,505 hectares, an 11.5 percent increase from 1,350 hectares five days prior. The pest, primarily affecting Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz, and Negros Oriental, is known to slash sugar content by up to 50 percent.
Gov’t accelerates coconut program to regain global lead
The Philippines, under the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is ramping up its nationwide coconut replanting program. The country, the Department of Agriculture said, currently trails Indonesia, having lost the distinction as top coconut producer nearly three decades ago.
