The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has pressed the Department of Agriculture (DA) for answers on the delayed distribution of fertilizer subsidies, warning that the holdup in some regions could amount to “ghost deliveries.”
At a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing on Wednesday, SINAG Chairman Rosendo So said that while most regions have received their allocations, farmers in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Mimaropa remain empty-handed.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo backed So’s concerns, pressing DA officials for explanations.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel said the department will investigate the matter.
The subsidies, So noted, were meant to be released in June, in time for the start of the planting season.
“Are there ghost deliveries of fertilizer subsidies in this situation?” So asked. “As we approach the end of August, there’s still no fertilizer subsidy for certain regions, which is causing frustration. Some areas have received theirs—why haven’t others? What’s the reason for this delay?”
So contrasted this year’s experience with last year’s, when timely subsidies coincided with stronger palay prices.
Now, he said, prices have dropped, and farmers have yet to see the support they were promised.
