El Nino Damage and Livestock Import Shift: Farm News for October 21, 2026
Farm news for October 21, 2026 highlights pressure on the palay price as drought losses exceed 6.5 billion pesos across ten regions. While field crops confront water shortages, livestock producers watch new trade controls on imported pork and milkfish growers face severe farmgate price drops.
Looking for today's price? See palay price today and fertilizer price in the Philippines.
8 stories from 7 newsrooms, among them Explained PH, Panay News and Inquirer. Each one comes with what it means for your farm and a link to the full report.
Dry conditions continue to strain farm budgets across the provinces, making water management and input spending urgent priorities for every grower this week.
Palay Price and Water Supply Pressures
Dry Spell Destroys Over Six Billion Pesos in Crops and Fisheries
Extreme weather from El Nino has caused 6.539 billion pesos in agricultural damage across ten regions, impacting more than 215,386 food producers. Farmlands in Cagayan Valley suffered the heaviest blow, accounting for nearly 4.96 billion pesos of the recorded field losses.
These widespread losses directly reduce the volume of grain reaching millers, which tightens local supply and influences the palay price heading into the harvest peak. If your fields sit in vulnerable zones, protect your remaining standing crop by prioritizing irrigation on fields currently at panicle initiation or flowering. Delay new seed germination until you confirm a reliable water source for the whole vegetative cycle.
Nakaapekto ang tagtuyot sa mahigit 215,386 na magsasaka at umabot sa 6.539 bilyong piso ang pinsala, lalo na sa Cagayan Valley na may halos 4.96 bilyong piso na lugi. Bawas ito sa suplay kaya apektado ang presyo ng palay. Kung kulang sa patubig, huwag munang magsabog ng binhi at tutukan ang mga palay na naglilihi.
Explained PH, October 20
Read the full report at Explained PH
Jalaur Dam High Water Fails to Reach Most Iloilo Rice Lots
The Jalaur River Multi Purpose Project Stage II reservoir holds 146 million cubic meters of water but currently irrigates only about 500 hectares of farmland due to an incomplete distribution canal system. This infrastructure gap leaves thousands of surrounding hectares exposed to dry weather risks.
A full reservoir cannot protect your crop if lateral canals do not reach your dikes. Farmers relying on delayed public irrigation must immediately look into alternate wetting and AWD field pipes rather than continuous flooding. Organizing shallow tube wells with neighbors will help save standing rice from drying out before the grain heads mature.
Kahit may 146 milyong metrong kubiko ng tubig ang dam sa Jalaur, nasa 500 ektarya pa lang ang napapadaluyan dahil bitin ang mga kanal. Huwag umasa nang buo sa dam kung malayo ang pilapil mo. Maglagay ng tubong AWD o magtulungan sa shallow tube well para maitawid ang palay hanggang sa magbutil.
Panay News, October 21
Read the full report at Panay News
Sugar Planters Resist Sweetener Tax Rise Amid Pests and Drought
Cane millers and planters have expressed strong opposition to a proposed increase in excise taxes on sweetened beverages. The industry explained that higher taxes will weaken demand for local cane while growers are already enduring dry spells and pest attacks.
A drop in industrial sweetener purchases means sugar mills will cut purchase quotas or lower buying rates for cane deliveries. Planters should monitor field borers and armyworms closely, because spending on expensive sprays during a soft market quickly erases profit margins. Test your soil and stick strictly to required base fertilizer amounts to keep production costs down.
Tinututulan ng mga gilingan ng asukal ang planong dagdag buwis sa sweetened drinks dahil babagsak ang benta habang may El Nino at mga peste sa tubuhan. Kapag bumaba ang demand, bababa rin ang kuha sa tubo. Magtipid sa inputs, bantayan ang mga peste, at sundin ang tamang abono para hindi lumobo ang gastos sa bawat ektarya.
2 newsrooms, October 21. Read it at:
Inquirer
Philstar
Livestock and Fisheries Market Shifts
Agriculture Office Plans Quantitative Limits on Pork Imports Next Month
Officials are preparing to roll out quantitative restrictions on imported pork by early November following safeguard evaluations. The policy intends to shield domestic hog raisers from being undercut by high volumes of cheap foreign meat.
Curbing incoming pork shipments offers backyard piggeries a better chance to recover their capital after months of suppressed farmgate rates. If you raise fatteners, coordinate with local buyers now to plan your sales schedule ahead of the holiday demand lift. Keeping strict biosecurity at your pens is still essential so you can take advantage of the expected price stabilization.
Plano ng pamahalaan na maglagay ng quantitative restrictions sa imported pork sa unang linggo ng Nobyembre para protektahan ang mga nag-aalaga ng baboy. Magandang balita ito sa mga backyard raisers na nalugi sa mababang benta. Ayusin ang schedule ng benta para sa kapaskuhan at higpitan ang biosecurity sa kulungan.
2 newsrooms, October 21. Read it at:
Philstar
Newswav
Bantayan Backyard Hog Raisers Seek Baseline Farmgate Floor Price
Small scale hog growers in Madridejos appealed for an official baseline buying price after live animal farmgate rates collapsed to 120 pesos per kilo. Local reports showed farmgate rates dropped from 295 pesos per kilo last year, even as retail pork in public markets stayed above 300 pesos.
A 120 peso liveweight price forces raisers to lose money on every pig when commercial feeds cost what they do today. Until local buyers agree on a fair floor price, avoid expanding herd numbers or buying extra piglets. You can mix farm grown feed alternatives like cooked root crops or rice bran to lower daily feed expenses while keeping animals healthy.
Humingi ng baseline floor price ang mga nagbababoy sa Madridejos matapos bumagsak sa 120 pesos kada kilo ang liveweight mula sa 295 pesos noong nakaraang taon, kahit lagpas 300 pesos pa rin sa palengke. Tiyak na abono ang bulsa mo sa commercial feeds sa ganyang presyo. Huwag munang magdagdag ng biik kung walang sigurado na mamimili.
SunStar, October 20
Read the full report at SunStar
Milkfish Farmgate Plunges to 125 Pesos as Production Costs Mount
Pangasinan bangus growers are dealing with heavy financial stress as production inputs rise while pond farmgate values fall sharply. Live fish prices tumbled from 200 pesos down to 125 pesos per kilo within just two days in mid October.
A sudden drop of 75 pesos per kilo leaves fishpond operators struggling to pay off fingerlings and feed bills. Operators must adjust feeding tables carefully to eliminate leftover feed sinking to the bottom, which wastes money and fouls the pond. Delay harvesting if your fish are still underweight, or sell in smaller batches directly to local markets to skip intermediary trader discounts.
Bumagsak sa 125 pesos mula 200 pesos kada kilo ang farmgate ng bangus sa Pangasinan noong Oktubre 12 at 13, habang mataas ang gastos sa pakain. Malaking kaltas ito sa kita ng mag-aalaga. Ibilang nang husto ang feeds para walang nasasayang sa pond, at subukang magbenta nang diretso sa palengke para maiwasan ang barat na komersyante.
Inquirer, October 21
Read the full report at Inquirer
Inputs and Agricultural Support
Negros Occidental Distributes Certified Seeds and Biofertilizers to Rice Farmers
The provincial leadership of Negros Occidental handed out 2.4 million pesos worth of registered rice seeds and biofertilizer packs to local farming groups. The supplies are intended to bolster field yields and reduce dependence on expensive chemical fertilizers.
Using clean registered seed gives you uniform tillering and higher germination rates than planting leftover grain from past harvests. Pairing biofertilizers with your baseline nitrogen inputs also lets you trim commercial fertilizer bags by ten to twenty percent without losing yield. Make sure to treat and soak the binhi properly according to clean seed protocols before direct seeding.
Namigay ang Negros Occidental ng 2.4 milyong piso na halaga ng registered rice seeds at biofertilizer sa mga magsasaka. Malaking tulong ang de-kalidad na binhi para pantay ang tubo ng palay at mas mataas ang ani kumpara sa lumang itinanim. Gamitin ang biofertilizer para makabawas ka sa bibilhing abono sa tindahan ngayong mahal ang inputs.
Facebook, October 20
Read the full report at Facebook
Camarines Sur Municipalities Secure Solar Cold Storage and Abattoir Hubs
Four local government towns across Camarines Sur received solar and wind assisted modular cold storage units alongside a new slaughterhouse facility. These energy independent systems help growers preserve vegetable harvests and meat products without relying on unstable electrical grids.
Perishable harvests like tomatoes and leafy greens spoil quickly under high heat, forcing farmers to accept bargain basement offers from middle buyers. These cold storage lockers allow your cooperative to hold fresh produce for several days until wet market prices recover. Contact your municipal agriculture office to register your group for storage slots before your next harvest cycle.
Nakatanggap ang apat na bayan sa Camarines Sur ng mga solar at wind modular cold storage at slaughterhouse mula sa pamahalaan. Malaking tulong ito para hindi mabulok ang mga gulay sa initan habang mababa ang tawag ng biyahero. Makipag-ugnayan sa inyong munisipyo para magamit ang pasilidad at maitabi ang ani hanggang gumanda ang presyo.
Philstar, October 21
Read the full report at Philstar
Immediate Farm Actions for This Week
- Inspect standing rice fields for drought stress and carry out alternate wetting and drying tubes to monitor water depth below the soil surface.
- Hold off on buying new feeder piglets if your area farmgate remains near 120 pesos per kilo, unless you have secured a guaranteed baseline buyer.
- Collect registered rice seeds and biofertilizers from your local agriculture office if your cooperative was listed in current provincial distribution programs.
- Adjust aquafeed rations in milkfish pens to match exact consumption and prevent feed waste that raises costs during price slumps.
Plan your season confidently even with shifting markets and erratic weather.
- Cropping calendars generated for your exact planting date per lot.
- Direct guidance from Anee on pest issues and fertilizer adjustments.
- Field level weather forecasts to safeguard crops against severe dry spells.
Frequently Asked Questions About Today Farm News
How does El Nino crop damage affect the palay price?
Why are pork import restrictions planned for November?
What should bangus operators do about the price collapse to 125 pesos?
Can biofertilizers really reduce input costs for rice production?
- Explained PH: El Nino affects over 215,386 farmers, fisherfolk. damage hits around P6.5 B
- Panay News: Jalaur mega dam's 146M cubic meters of water beyond reach of most Iloilo farms. Incomplete irrigation network limits protection vs El Niño
- Inquirer: Sugar sector opposes tax hike amid El Niño, pest threats
- Philstar: Sugar millers to DOF: Reconsider proposed increase in beverage tax
- Philstar: DA may impose restrictions on pork imports by November
- Newswav: DA mulls quantitative duties on imported pork
- SunStar: Hog raisers seek baseline price
- Inquirer: 'Bangus' growers struggle as prices fall, costs rise
- Facebook: NegOcc distributes P2.4 M registered rice seeds, biofertilizers By Nanette Guadalquiver BACOLOD CITY, The Negros Occidental provincial government distributed on Tuesday PHP2.4 million worth of registered rice seeds and biofertilizers to various farmers
- Philstar: 4 Camarines Sur LGUs get post harvest facilities
