THE Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) on Thursday pressed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to explain the delayed release of fertilizer subsidies, warning that the problem may be linked to possible “ghost deliveries.”

Sinag chairman Rosendo So said farmers in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Mimaropa have yet to receive the government subsidy that was supposed to be distributed in June, at the start of the planting season. The delays, he said, are compounding the struggles of farmers who are reeling from a string of typhoons earlier this year.

“Are there ghost deliveries of fertilizer subsidies in this situation?” So asked during Wednesday’s Senate agriculture committee hearing. “As we approach the end of August, there’s still no fertilizer subsidy in some areas, while other regions have already received theirs.”

He noted that unlike last year when subsidies were released on time and coincided with better palay prices, farmers this year face both lower prices and a lack of government support. He added that fertilizer contracts had already been secured as early as May, raising questions about the delay.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who attended the hearing, backed calls for urgent government action, stressing the need for timely delivery not only of fertilizers but also seedlings, equipment, and post-harvest facilities.

Local leaders have also joined the clamor. In a letter dated Aug. 26, La Union Gov. Mario Eduardo Ortega asked Sinag to intervene with the DA, saying the timely release of subsidies was critical to restoring farmers’ livelihoods and ensuring food security. Similarly, Manaoag, Pangasinan Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario, who heads the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Pangasinan Chapter, appealed on Aug. 22 for immediate support, citing the rising cost of fertilizers.

So said Sinag is coordinating with provincial leaders to determine how widespread the delays are, adding that concerns have already been raised by the governor of Isabela.

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“The government should act swiftly,” he said. “Farmers cannot afford to wait any longer for the support promised to them.”

The Manila Times sought a statement from the DA but received no reply as of press time.