As the Marcos Jr. administration prioritizes the agriculture sector to ensure food security, two international trade expositions are set this June to support government initiatives — focusing on innovation in poultry, livestock, and aquaculture production and processing.

Livestock Philippines and Aquaculture Philippines will take place from 25-27 June 2025 at the World Trade Center Manila in Pasay City. Organizers expect around 250 exhibitors and up to 10,000 visitors from over 30 countries, making the event a vital gathering for agri-industry professionals.

"The Philippines under the Bagong Pilipinas government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has put the agriculture industry among its priorities, recognizing the potential to spur and support national economic growth in the near to long term. This is why Livestock Philippines 2025 and Aquaculture Philippines 2025 are very important events that Filipinos and local businesses should watch out for," said Rungphech Chitanuwat, country general manager of Informa Markets Philippines, at a recent press conference in Quezon City.

She said the Department of Agriculture is strongly backing this year’s event, with a focus on the theme “Empowering Agri-Fishery Through Modern Technology and Innovation,” aligning with the agency's drive to enhance productivity and efficiency in agricultural production.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, livestock production grew 6.37 percent in 2024 to 2.17 million metric tons, up from 2.05 million metric tons in 2023. Poultry led the growth, increasing 6.6 percent to 2.94 million metric tons.

Despite the challenges posed by the La Niña weather phenomenon in early 2024 and swine flu outbreaks affecting hog production, the sector rebounded in the second half, with carabao and cattle production posting slight gains.

The industry is also anticipating the passage of the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act, which will create a P20 billion Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund over 10 years to strengthen the Bureau of Animal Industry.

In aquaculture, one of the country’s brightest agriculture prospects, growth remains promising. PSA data shows aquaculture makes up over half of annual fisheries production, with seaweed contributing about 70 percent of output. FAO estimated local aquaculture production at 804,000 metric tons in 2022 and projects it to reach 965,000 metric tons by 2032.

The co-located events will feature not only trade exhibitions and conferences but also Livestock Philippines Recognition 2025, which honors outstanding contributions to the agricultural sector from companies, cooperatives, institutions, and individuals.

Another key highlight is the Sustainability Forum, which will explore sustainable practices in alignment with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on environmental conservation and social equity in agriculture.

These initiatives signal renewed momentum for the Philippine agri-sector as it embraces modernization and global collaboration.