The Philippine agricultural sector, which faced a challenging year marked by natural disasters and disease outbreaks, has seen some relief thanks to swift actions by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration through the Department of Agriculture (DA). Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. praised the DA’s efforts in tackling issues like El Niño, La Niña, typhoons, the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, African swine fever (ASF), and the looming threat of bird flu. Despite these adversities, the DA has managed to respond effectively to the crises at hand.
The year’s challenges have led to a projected decline in local palay production to 19.3 million metric tons (MMT) for 2024. In response to rising rice prices, the government reduced the tariff on imported rice from 35% to 15% under Executive Order 62, leading to a record high of 4.48 MMT in rice imports by December 12, with projections to reach 4.7 MMT.
To further address the issue of rice affordability, the Marcos administration introduced the DA’s Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Rice for All and P29 programs. The Rice for All initiative offers mixed local and well-milled rice at PHP40/kg without purchase limits at KNP Centers and kiosks in Metro Manila. The P29 program targets vulnerable groups, providing aging but quality rice from the National Food Authority at PHP29/kg with a 10-kg purchase limit.
The Office of the President has allocated PHP5 billion to support these initiatives, with PHP3 billion for Rice for All, PHP1.5 billion for P29, and PHP500 million for warehouse rehabilitation and logistics. Secretary Tiu Laurel aims to further reduce the cost of Rice for All to PHP38-39/kg starting in 2025 by purchasing rice from various sources and selling it through KNP.
Efforts to combat agricultural smuggling have been intensified, with Tiu Laurel claiming a significant reduction in smuggling activities, particularly of imported rice. The DA has also taken action against illegal trade practices, blacklisting 10 firms involved in unauthorized imports and anti-competitive behaviors.
In the fight against ASF, the DA has implemented strict border controls and vaccination programs, reducing active ASF cases to 365 barangays across several regions. The DA has distributed 10,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines and plans to distribute a total of 490,000 doses, with hopes of securing commercial use approval by the first quarter of 2025.
Looking ahead, the DA plans to address the potential threat of avian influenza by procuring 30 million vaccine doses. Additionally, the DA has managed to stabilize prices of commodities like onions and sugar, which had previously soared to over PHP700/kg and more than PHP100/kg, respectively.
Secretary Tiu Laurel expressed optimism for the future, with plans to launch the Agri-puhunan at Pangtawid program for rice farmers, offering funding and insurance. The DA also aims to introduce ‘Nutri’ and ‘Sulit’ rice programs to provide healthier and more affordable rice options to consumers. Other initiatives include removing brand labels from imported rice to curb profiteering and implementing a three-year budget plan for projects like cold storage and irrigation to enhance production and stabilize prices.