MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered an investigation into several fertilizer suppliers with government contracts and temporarily stopped the release of their products following complaints about quality.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. instructed procurement and warehouse officials to suspend the distribution of fertilizer from the concerned companies while the DA, together with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), conducts a review.

The assessment will determine whether the fertilizer products—flagged during initial FPA quality tests—comply with government standards.

Among the suppliers included in the investigation are Agri-Victorious Trading Corporation, DQB Green Agricultural Products Trading, Valap Incorporated, Dos Asia Chemical Trading Corporation, and Rova Fertilizer Manufacturing.

Under the directive, fertilizer stocks supplied by the companies under review cannot be released, distributed, or used until the evaluation is finished and clearance is issued by the Office of the Secretary.

The order also requires all DA personnel to report any pending deliveries, active transactions, and relevant documents involving the companies to assist in the ongoing review.

Tiu Laurel criticized the alleged delivery of substandard fertilizer products.

“We agreed to pay the price they bid, yet they delivered substandard products. That is highway robbery, and we will not allow it. They have no shame,” he said.

The DA did not specify the exact complaints raised against the suppliers. However, the move underscores the department’s push to hold contractors accountable and ensure the quality of farm inputs, an issue frequently raised by farmers who depend on government fertilizer support to cope with increasing production costs.