Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. reconstituted the Inter-Agency Livestock Data Analytics Group (LDAG) to strengthen the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) capacity for data-driven decisions in managing the meat and poultry sectors.
The DA chief issued Special Order 599 to revive the LDAG and help ensure market stability while protecting both producers and consumers amid fluctuating prices and supply.
Under the updated structure, DA Undersecretary for livestock Dante Palabrica now chairs the group, which is tasked with streamlining the collection, analysis, and reporting of critical livestock and poultry data to support planning, forecasting, and policy-making.
“We need up-to-date data on market trends and behavior to ensure that the policies we formulate and the actions we take safeguard and promote the growth of the industry, even as we protect consumers,” Tiu Laurel said.
He cited the local market’s dynamism, thus the need for better and more reliable information for accurate forecasts and timely decisions.
Othel V. Campos
The LDAG will work closely with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to determine data needs and coordinate with commodity focal points across agencies to gather and consolidate data on production, inventory, farmgate prices, cold storage levels, and costs.
It will also produce scenario-based supply and demand outlooks, trend analyses and regular reports such as the livestock and poultry situationer, which will help inform the DA’s leadership on developments in the pork, chicken, egg, and dairy sectors.
To ensure data accuracy and relevance, the group will regularly consult industry stakeholders, aligning government strategies with real market conditions.