MANILA – Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), bringing a wealth of experience from the fisheries and food processing sectors to tackle the country’s agricultural issues.
According to Philippines News Agency, Laurel’s appointment brings an interesting perspective to the DA, which could contribute significantly to resolving the challenges in food security and agricultural exports. Galang, a respected academic and expert in agricultural goods distribution, expressed his hope for Laurel’s success in finding innovative solutions that would involve close cooperation with the business sector. In an interview conducted Sunday, Galang stressed the need for Laurel to establish a framework for collaboration that addresses gaps in food production and distribution.
Concurrently, Rolando Tambago, president of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, highlighted the urgency for the new DA Secretary to prioritize the repopulation of piggeries, severely affected by the African swine fever (ASF) since 2019. In an interview, Tambago underscored the significant impact the successful management of this department could have on the nation’s inflation rates. He emphasized Laurel’s potential to leverage his experience from managing the Frabelle Group to benefit his new role.
The swine industry, according to Tambago, has seen a severe decline, with an estimated 35 percent drop in the domestic swine population due to ASF. While pork imports have temporarily eased the demand, the long-term policy of reducing import tariffs is seen as potentially harmful to local pork producers. Tambago urges Laurel to focus on strategies that aid swine farmers in improving efficiency and lowering production costs, hence, strengthening the domestic pork industry against the need for prolonged reliance on pork imports.