Agricultural warehouse and storage operators have until 31 December to register their facilities with the government under a Department of Agriculture (DA) initiative designed to improve inventory monitoring and help detect smuggling, hoarding and other market abuses.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. directed DA officials to widely publicize the year-end deadline and ensure potential registrants have enough time to comply.

Registration is being conducted through the Registry System for Agri Storage (RSAS), a centralized platform intended to provide the government with information on the location of storage facilities and the volume of agricultural and fishery commodities they hold.

“We have to strictly follow the law,” Tiu Laurel said during a meeting with DA officials, while calling for a stronger registration drive.

He also ordered an updated count of registered facilities and their compliance rates to help the DA better track inventories, particularly imported agricultural products such as rice.

The registration requirement is provided under Republic Act No. 12022, or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which took effect in October 2024. The law requires operators of warehouses, cold-storage facilities and other properties used to store agricultural and fishery commodities to register and maintain complete and accurate records for at least five years.

DA Memorandum Circular No. 3, issued in February 2026, provides the implementing guidelines for the requirement. The RSAS is now operational, according to the agency.

The DA clarified that registration is separate from certification and inspection. It is preparing a nationwide inspection schedule for 2027, with regional inspections staggered to manage personnel requirements.

By mapping storage facilities and their inventories, the DA expects to strengthen commodity traceability and identify unusual supply movements that could indicate smuggling, hoarding or other activities that may disrupt food supply and markets.