A party-list lawmaker on Saturday cited the plan of President Marcos to sign a memorandum of agreement for the initial importation of 150,000 metric tons of fertilizer from China.
Rep. Robert Nazal of The MAGSASAKA party-list group said the Marcos administration’s plan to import fertilizers next year will definitely boost local food production and help stabilize domestic food prices.
“The move spells good news for farmers as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. intends to distribute some of these fertilizers to them for free,” Nazal said in a statement.
“This is indeed a step in the right direction towards achieving food security while supporting our farmers and fighting rising food prices during this difficult period,” Nazal said.
He said the distribution of free fertilizers to farmers is laudable given the importance of fertilizers in food production.
“Fertilizers are added to crops in order to produce enough food to feed the population,” Nazal said.
“Fertilizers provide crops with nutrients, which allow crops to grow bigger, faster, and to produce more food,” he added.
The planned procurement of 150,000 metric tons of fertilizer from China would be done through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Marcos has instructed the Department of Agriculture (DA), the DTI, and the PTIC to find ways to support farmers and lower soaring food prices.
The rising cost of urea, which is the commonly used fertilizers by farmers, has contributed to higher food prices, Nazal said.
The DA, which is currently headed by Marcos, has allocated P4.1 billion to buy 2.277 million bags of fertilizers, which will be given to farmers free of charge.