Farmers seek continued fuel, logistics support

MANILA, Philippines — A local organization of farmers is calling for continued government fuel and logistics support, as oil prices continue to weigh on farm production.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said that there is a need to provide further targeted fuel and logistics support for farmers to help offset rising production costs.

The group added that the government must strengthen and institutionalize domestic procurement programs by prioritizing locally produced agricultural goods in government feeding and state-funded purchasing programs.

“While production costs continue to climb, farmers and livestock producers are seeing their margins squeezed by weaker demand and increased competition from imports,” SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet said.

This comes as Iranian authorities announced another closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for the world’s oil trade. This development could further place upward pressure on local oil prices.

Cainglet said that the closure would affect the farmgate prices of agricultural goods as domestic purchasing power weakens.

He stressed that as fuel prices surge, the production costs for local farmers and livestock raisers also increase.

He said that farmgate prices will also be under pressure as demand weakens.

“It is a double whammy for local agriculture: producers face higher production costs while receiving lower prices for their products,” Cainglet said.

He said that tariff cuts on imported agricultural commodities have fueled the decline in farm goods’ prices.

In particular, he noted that Executive Order 116, which increases the minimum access volume for pork to 204,210 metric tons, undermines the competitiveness of local hog raisers.

“A resilient agricultural sector requires policies that ensure food affordability with the long-term viability of local producers,” Cainglet said.

“We have become increasingly dependent on imports while domestic production continues to weaken,” he added.

The farmgate prices for live hogs as of May 2026, have dropped by 20.7 percent to P189.58 per kilo from P239.17 per kilo last year, according to data sent by SINAG.

Data also showed that the farmgate prices of live chickens were at P100 per kilo, while a tray of medium sized eggs was at P165.