Recently, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. personally visited a public market to check the prices and supply of essential food items such as rice, vegetables, meat, and fish. He was joined by officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other national agencies. For farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, it is important to understand what this kind of inspection means for farmgate prices, the supply chain, and farm income . Why Did President Marcos Inspect the Market? The visit aimed to: Ensure adequate food supply in the market Monitor prices of key commodities like rice, vegetables, pork, chicken, and fish Identify supply chain issues — from farm to market Protect the interests of both consumers and producers (farmers and livestock raisers) In simple terms, the government wants to prevent excessive price increases in markets while also ensuring that farmers and fishers still earn a fair income . What Is the Government Looking at in Terms of Price a...
As global oil prices continue to rise, farmers are also feeling the impact through higher fertilizer costs. We all know the reality: when fertilizer becomes expensive, production costs increase, profits shrink, and crop yields are affected. That’s why the Department of Agriculture (DA) is taking action to ensure a stable and affordable supply of fertilizer for Filipino farmers—especially amid the ongoing oil crisis and volatile global market prices. In this blog, we’ll discuss: Why fertilizer prices increase when oil prices rise What the DA is doing to secure fertilizer supply What this means for farmers Practical tips to save on fertilizer use Why Do Fertilizer Prices Rise When Oil Prices Increase? Many inorganic fertilizers (such as urea and other nitrogen-based fertilizers) are produced using natural gas and petroleum-based products. This means: When oil and gas prices increase , production costs for fertilizer also go up Transportation and freight costs rise ...