Agriculture
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.
DA sees agricultural momentum in sugar surge
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing national food self-sufficiency within the next few years, driven in part by surging production figures from the country’s sugar industry—an indicator of broader agricultural momentum that could benefit rice and other staple crops.
Rice prices dip in June, may slow inflation further
The Philippine Statistics Authority's early June survey indicates a continued decline in regular milled rice prices, averaging P42.77 per kilogram—down nearly seventeen percent from P51.31 in the same period last year and slightly lower than May’s P43.64.
