DA: Israel-Hamas conflict will only have ‘minimal effect’ on PH agriculture

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas will only have “minimal effect” on agriculture’s local production, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, DA Secretary for Operations Arnel de Mesa highlighted that the Philippines and Israel have a strong and long-time partnership in different initiatives, particularly in water management and fertilization.

“Aside from innovative farm and water systems, we have long-standing trade partnerships with Israel,” de Mesa said.

One of the Israeli technologies that is gaining popularity among Filipino farmers is fertigation, which combines the efficient distribution of plant nutrients through drip irrigation, he noted.

According to de Mesa, fertigation has allowed farmers to apply an accurate amount of nutrients to their crops while conserving water.

READ: Israel strikes and seals off Gaza as Hamas vows to execute hostages

Furthermore, as part of the trading agreement between the country and Israel, the latter has been a constant purchaser of desiccated coconut, pineapple juice, concentrates, and other mixtures from Filipino manufacturers.

The total exports of Israel for various Philippine products reached 3,441,855 kilograms in 2022, said de Mesa.

READ: Israel and Palestinian war: What you need to know right now

Meanwhile, a total of 3,366,963 kilograms of assorted agricultural commodities have been bought by Israel from January to June.

The official expressed hope for an immediate resolution of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

JPV