DA: Higher food prices possible“I don’t want to do this, but we could import what we need to ensure supply is sufficient. We could always cut tariffs to mitigate the impact of higher freight costs,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. MANILA, Philippines — Food prices could rise as Middle East tensions affect logistics and input costs, particularly urea-based fertilizer, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday. We could always cut tariffs to mitigate the impact of higher freight costs,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. Sustained increase in production costs could begin to affect rice prices by August, Tiu Laurel said.

Source: Philippine Star March 26, 2026 05:22 UTC