By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, A reporter
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to purchase fertilizers, seeds and other inputs and place them in advance to reduce distribution delays.
Speaking at the 2026 meeting of the National Confederation of Irrigators Associations in Quezon City on Tuesday, Mr. Marcos said he ordered Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. to bring forward the purchase of farm goods before planting.
Mr. Marcos warned that last-minute purchases of goods – especially imported goods – could cause delays in shipping and transportation inland before the goods reach the farms.
“I told them to buy early so that when it’s time to plant, everything is there,” said Mr. Marcos.
The government wants to increase farm productivity and stabilize food supply amid ongoing price pressures and climate disruptions.
Funding and prioritization, he added, will allow the government to distribute aid more efficiently and protect farmers from price hikes or delivery lags.
The administration wants to modernize agriculture, including the operation of the National Irrigation Administration. Proposed measures include a command center capable of real-time telemetry and satellite-supported weather monitoring.
Former Secretary of Agriculture William D. Dar said the strategy is to manage the risk in a rational way.
“This is a very good strategy for the DA to get the necessary ideas early so that the same can be distributed in a timely manner,” he said of Viber.
Mr. Dar added that early procurement will not cause food inflation. With timely assistance and proper agricultural practices, productivity can increase, which can increase farmers’ income and stabilize supply.
However, some commentators have highlighted structural issues in the food value chain.
Jayson H. Cainglet, managing director of Samahang Industriia ng Agrikultura, pointed to the persistent gap between farmgate and retail prices, and argued that inflationary pressures are mainly caused by the distribution market and coordination costs.
“There is a disconnect between the production/farmgate price and retail prices,” he said of Viber. “Farmers are often blamed for rising food prices or price pressures when the real drivers are supply chain, weak price transmission, and high margins.”
“Frontloading as a concept is a good development as the distribution of farm supplies has been slow and in some cases, substandard – thereby impacting harvests and productivity.”
Mr. Cainglet supports early distribution but proposed other methods, such as vouchers, which allow farmers to buy supplies directly from retailers based on their specific needs.
Former Agriculture Undersecretary Fermin D. Adriano warned that centralized procurement requires an efficient office capable of price competition and accurate demand forecasting.
“This is considering that the bureaucracy is efficient; that it can buy shares at a competitive price; that they know the need for materials used by rice farmers in each province; the time when farmers need them; and DA is able to keep them well,” he said about Viber.
He advocated for direct financial aid instead of the purchase of inputs, saying that the transfer of money will reduce operational risks and corruption while allowing farmers to choose inputs that suit their operations.
