The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeing signs of strong recovery for the country’s food production sector after a year marked by overlapping crises, including extreme weather events and animal disease outbreaks.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday reported that government interventions and reforms are beginning to show results, with the country on track for a record harvest and broader improvements in agricultural systems.

Speaking during the department’s flag ceremony, Tiu Laurel recalled how the sector endured what he described as a “perfect storm” in 2024, with drought, typhoons, volcanic activity, and the resurgence of African Swine Fever severely disrupting output across multiple regions.

Despite these challenges, he said the agriculture industry is bouncing back, aided by policy reforms, infrastructure programs, and targeted support for both producers and consumers.

“We are no strangers to adversity,” he said. 

“What matters is that we have used each challenge as an opportunity to push forward.”

Crop production grew by 2.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, an early indicator of what the DA expects will be a banner year for agricultural output. A record harvest of 20.46 million metric tons of palay is projected, along with the highest sugar output in years.

Tiu Laurel credited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s agricultural agenda for pushing through reforms that are now translating into concrete results. Among these is the realization of a major campaign promise: rice priced at P20 per kilo, now available in select areas through expanded government distribution channels.

This was made possible through the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, improved buffer stocking by the National Food Authority, and steady supply from Food Terminal Inc. The Rice-for-All program and enforcement of a maximum suggested retail price helped bring down market rice prices to P33 to P43 per kilo, contributing to the country’s lowest inflation rate in six years at just 1.3 percent in May.

To strengthen support for farmers, the NFA also raised its buying price for palay to P17-P30 per kilo. At the same time, funding under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund is set to triple to P30 billion starting next year with amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law.

Crackdowns on smuggling have also intensified. Eighteen companies were blacklisted last year – more than the number penalized in the previous decade. Some P3 billion worth of smuggled goods were seized in 2024, surpassing the previous year’s total by P1 billion. 

Dozens of container vans loaded with illegally imported fish, meat, and vegetables were intercepted in recent months, and may become early test cases under the newly enacted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

The department is also ramping up investment in rural infrastructure. Projects in the pipeline include cold storage facilities, irrigation systems, farm-to-market roads, and key agricultural seaports. Mega food hubs are under development in Clark and Quezon, while modernized rice processing systems and storage warehouses are being completed.

Support from multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation is helping fund and accelerate these initiatives.

Tiu Laurel also highlighted gains in export access. Durian, mangoes, and avocados have been granted new approvals in international markets, while tamban, a key ingredient in sardine production, was formally recognized by the EU Codex, enabling the expansion of sardine exports.

Animal diseases, however, remain a threat to food security. The DA has established a vaccine development center at Central Luzon State University and is coordinating with the Food and Drug Administration to expedite commercial rollout of an African Swine Fever vaccine.

Tiu Laurel added that the newly passed Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act is a crucial move toward a more modern, resilient livestock sector.

“The true measure of success is how many lives we are able to improve.”