Agriculture News
Curated agriculture and biotech news — local & international.
DA Eyes Bio-Based Fertilizer as Middle East Tensions Disrupt Global Supply Chains
The Department of Agriculture allocated P500 million for biofertilizer procurement and inspected UPLB-developed Bio-N production facilities, promoting bio-based alternatives that can replace 50–70% of
Pangilinan Calls for Strengthening Domestic Biofertilizer Production Amid Energy Crisis
Senator Francis Pangilinan urged expanded domestic biofertilizer production capacity, warning that continued dependence on imported chemical fertilizers poses a long-term food security risk for the Ph
Agri Specialist Donates 200,000 Kilos of Bio-N Biofertilizer Worth ₱720 Million to Irrigators
Agri Specialist Inc. donated 200,000 kilos of Bio-N — a UPLB-developed Azospirillum-based microbial biofertilizer — to the National Confederation of Irrigators Association. One kilogram priced at ₱750
DA Orders Mass Production of Biocontrol Agents to Contain RSSI Sugarcane Outbreak
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. directed the Sugar Regulatory Administration to accelerate mass production of a naturally occurring biocontrol fungus to suppress the red-striped soft scale insec
SRA RSSI Task Force Expands Biological Control Operations to Cover 75,000 Hectares of Sugarcane
The Sugar Regulatory Administration's Inter-agency RSSI Task Force intensified biological control operations targeting at least 75,000 hectares of sugarcane, deploying naturally occurring fungal agent
Philippines Pushes to Commercialise AVAC ASF Vaccine as Livestock Sector Posts 5.1% Q1 Growth
The Bureau of Animal Industry is pushing for commercial release of Vietnam's AVAC live ASF vaccine by Q3 2026, citing a 90% efficacy rate in controlled trials. The drive follows the livestock sector's
Philippines Procures 32,000 Breeder Gilts to Rebuild Swine Herd Devastated by ASF
The Department of Agriculture is purchasing 32,000 breeder gilts to rebuild the country's hog population after swine production contracted 5.6% in H1 2025 due to ASF resurgence. The program targets bi
Philippine Chicken Output Rises 10% Amid HPAI Vaccine Rollout and Reduced Pork Supply
Philippine poultry production reached 2.28 million metric tons in 2025, a 10% year-on-year increase driven by the commercial rollout of an HPAI vaccine, stronger biosecurity adoption on commercial far
Senate Approves Government Aquafeed Mill in Capiz to Slash Input Costs for 1,300 Fish Farmers
The Philippine Senate approved construction of a government-funded aquafeed mill in Capiz capable of producing 30 metric tons of feed daily, targeting a reduction in production costs and import depend
PSA Q1 2026: Milkfish Up 11.4%, Tilapia Up 3.3% — But Seaweed and P. Vannamei Sharply Down
The Philippine Statistics Authority's Q1 2026 fisheries report showed milkfish (bangus) production rising 11.4% and tilapia up 3.3%, while seaweed fell 13.1% and Pacific white shrimp (P. vannamei) col
P. Vannamei Shrimp Output Plunges 44%; Philippine Operators Pivot to Biofloc and Probiotics
A 44.3% collapse in Pacific white shrimp production has spurred Philippine aquaculture operators to explore biofloc technology, water probiotic management, and antibiotic-free protocols as sustainable
LLDA Launches Laguna de Bay Master Plan to Restore Philippines' Largest Lake by 2026
The Laguna Lake Development Authority unveiled a comprehensive master plan for Laguna de Bay anchored on engineered wetland systems, bioremediation, watershed erosion control, and flood risk managemen
The Ocean Cleanup to Deploy Plastic Interceptors in Manila Bay Waterways Starting 2026
The Ocean Cleanup has included Manila in its global 30 Cities Program, with Interceptor systems set for deployment in the waterways feeding Manila Bay in 2026. Over 90% of collected waste in the area
DOST-NAST Deploys Bioremediation to Rehabilitate Marinduque Mining Site and Bulacan Waterways
The National Academy of Science and Technology's bioremediation research team is conducting field studies at an abandoned mining site in Mogpog, Marinduque, and contaminated waterways in Bulacan, appl
Philippines Fast-Tracks First Domestic Urea Plant; Biofertilizers Promoted as Bridge Solution
The Philippines has accelerated plans for its first domestic urea fertilizer plant — targeting construction in 2026 and full operations before 2028 — while biofertilizers and liquid soil amendments co
Dr. Mariangela Hungria Wins 2025 World Food Prize for Pioneering Microbial Biofertilizer Technologies
Brazilian microbiologist Dr. Mariangela Hungria received the $500,000 World Food Prize for pioneering biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Her microbial inoculant technologies, applied across 40+ milli
WEF: Fertilizer Price Shocks Are Now Accelerating the Global Shift to Regenerative Agriculture
The World Economic Forum reports that repeated fertilizer price shocks — driven by Middle East tensions and supply chain disruptions — are now a decisive forcing factor pushing farmers globally toward
Brazil's BNF Inoculants Cover 85% of Soybean Area, Saving $27.6B in Fertilizer Imports
In the 2024/25 season, biological nitrogen fixation inoculants were applied on 85% of Brazil's 40.5 million-hectare soybean area, equivalent to $27.6 billion in avoided nitrogen fertilizer imports and
Global Biopesticide Market Surpasses $9 Billion in 2026, Projected to Reach $20B by 2035
The global biopesticide market exceeded $9 billion in 2026, growing at 9.6% CAGR, driven by EU and US regulatory tightening on synthetic pesticides, surging organic farming area, and rising export dem
Frontiers Review: Biopesticide Integration Into Global IPM Has Reached a Commercial Tipping Point
A landmark 2026 Frontiers review identifies biological control agents — including microbial biopesticides, entomopathogenic fungi, and botanical extracts — as having achieved commercial viability acro
EU Farm-to-Fork: France Allocates €45 Million in Subsidies for Biopesticide Adoption Among Growers
France allocated €45 million for biopesticide adoption among fruit and vegetable growers as part of the EU's Farm-to-Fork strategy targeting 25% organic farmland and a 50% reduction in synthetic pesti
Animal Feed Probiotic Market Set to Exceed $8.3 Billion by 2036 as AMR Restrictions Intensify
The global animal feed probiotic market is projected to grow at 7.7% CAGR from $3.69 billion in 2025 to $8.3 billion by 2036, driven by tightening restrictions on antibiotic growth promoters and expan
Probiotics and Prebiotics Confirmed as Safer Alternatives to Antibiotics in Animal Agriculture
A major review confirms probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics can safely replace antibiotic growth promoters in livestock and poultry systems, improving gut microbiota balance, feed conversion ratios
Coalition Urges FDA to End Routine Antibiotic Use in US Livestock Production
A formal coalition of public health, veterinary, and consumer groups petitioned the FDA to ban routine antibiotic use in US livestock production, citing mounting AMR evidence and calling for mandatory
Frontiers Systematic Review: Probiotics Confirmed as Effective Antibiotic Alternatives in Aquaculture
A bibliometric analysis of over 200 studies confirms probiotics and prebiotics enhance immunity, water quality, and disease resistance in aquaculture via competitive exclusion and antimicrobial compou
ReAct: Aquaculture Is the 'Missing Piece' in Global One Health AMR Policy and Surveillance
ReAct identifies aquaculture as critically underrepresented in national AMR action plans and One Health surveillance frameworks globally. With antibiotic consumption in aquaculture reaching 99,502 met
Responsible Seafood Summit 2025: Antibiotic Reduction Progressing, But Gaps Persist in Small-Scale Farms
The 2025 Responsible Seafood Summit in Colombia highlighted meaningful progress in antibiotic reduction among large aquaculture operators, while underlining persistent gaps in small-scale farms across
Nature Reviews Microbiology: Restoring Soil Microbiomes Is Central to Climate Resilience
A landmark paper in Nature Reviews Microbiology establishes soil and sediment microbiomes as central actors in biogeochemical cycling, climate regulation, and ecosystem resilience — urgently calling f
PMC Study: Bioremediation in Biodiversity Hotspots Delivers Ecosystem Recovery at Fraction of Conventional Costs
A new PMC review demonstrates that bioremediation using indigenous microbial consortia in biodiversity hotspots — including tropical forest and coastal ecosystems across Asia, Africa, and Latin Americ
ISEAS: Southeast Asia Must Urgently Scale Regenerative Agriculture to Secure Food Systems
A 2026 ISEAS perspective paper argues Southeast Asian governments face a narrow window to mainstream regenerative agriculture — including biofertilizers, biochar, cover crops, and microbial soil input