Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday assured consumers of ample pork supply for the Christmas season even as it imposed a temporary ban on pig and pork imports from Spain following a confirmed outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the European country.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Friday the Department of Agriculture is intensifying efforts to keep food prices stable through the holiday season, pointing to the sharp drop in rice, corn, vegetable, and meat prices and their crucial role in preserving the spending power of Filipino consumers—especially the poor.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is stepping into the holiday rush with a firm hand, setting maximum suggested retail prices (MSRP) on pork in Metro Manila starting today to shield consumers from runaway costs while ensuring a fair return in the pork industry value chain.

Rice stocks in the country rose 3.8 percent year-on-year to 2.55 million metric tons as of November 1, driven largely by the National Food Authority’s aggressive inventory buildup, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signaled a major shift in the country’s rice import strategy on Wednesday, issuing an advisory that points to significantly lower import requirements for the first quarter of 2026.