THE NEWLY-SIGNED Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or Rice Tariffication law is expected to reduce poverty by bringing down rice prices, but the bureaucratic process may delay the farmer relief measures attached to the law, academics said.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will resubmit its recommendations for the coconut industry which include the increase of coconut content in biodiesel as well as the imposition of quantitative restrictions on palm olein from Malaysia and Indonesia, Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said on Sunday.

AFTER 24 YEARS since the Philippines was granted approval in 1995 by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to impose quantitative restriction (QR) on rice importation into the country, the government finally eliminated the quota system on rice importation through the passage of RA 11203. The law, which was recently signed, will be implemented on March 5, 2019. One of the key features of RA 11203 is the replacement of the rice importation quota system with tariffs. In the new law, the following tariffs apply:

THE SENATE has adopted the House version of the bill institutionalizing a Department of Agriculture (DA) program promoting partnerships between farmers, fisherfolk and the private sector.

THE UNIVERSITY of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) will launch a book by Rolando T. Dy, the head of its agribusiness studies center, on March 20.

THE Department of Trade and Industry may consider imposing a sugar “import fee” equivalent to as much as seven times the current preferential tariff on Philippine sugar under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), as a safety net for farmers once sugar importation rules are eased.

SAN MIGUEL, ILOILO -- Upland farmers in Panay now have a direct link to consumers with the completion of the P11.8-million Local Food Terminal (LFT) here, which also has a solar-powered cold storage facility.

THE Philippine Maize Federation (PhilMaize) said the abandonment of the policy goal of rice-self-sufficiency does not reflect reality, with Filipinos still favoring rice over other staple carbohydrates.

LONDON -- World cocoa prices are forecast to rise slightly this year despite a small global surplus, a Reuters survey of seven analysts and traders showed on Friday.

BRASILIA -- Six major commodities traders, including Cargill Inc and Bunge Ltd, have agreed to a common mechanism to monitor soybean supply chains for deforestation in Brazil’s vast Cerrado savannah, according to a statement on Friday.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) indicated that Malacañang will be open to changes to the rice tariffication bill that will benefit rice farmers in the country, Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said.

ISRAELI agro-industrial firm LR Group is set to submit a P44 billion proposal to the Philippine government this month to fund the deployment of 6,200 Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS).