The Department of Agriculture (DA) highlighted expanded support for farmers and fisherfolk, record investments in agricultural infrastructure and a significantly larger budget among the administration’s major accomplishments over the past four years.

Agriculture has remained a priority under the Marcos administration, particularly after the President served concurrently as agriculture secretary from June 2022 to November 2023 before appointing Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to head the department.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said government assistance has expanded significantly through investments in farm machinery and post-harvest facilities.

“Definitely, farmers are receiving more assistance now. We have provided more cold storage facilities. Aside from financial aid, fertilizers and pesticides, we have also distributed machinery. Under the BBM administration, we have provided more grain dryers than at any other time,” Laurel said in a radio interview.

The DA has distributed about 150 grain dryers — the highest number in roughly four decades — and established more rice processing centers over the past three years. Another 380 mechanical palay drying systems are targeted for construction this year.

Laurel said government interventions have helped keep retail rice prices at about P48 per kilogram, preventing them from climbing to between P55 and P58 per kilo.

Earning more

The department has also expanded investments in fisheries, including plans to build three mega hatcheries in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao capable of producing about 1 billion milkfish fry annually, along with millions of tilapia and other fish species.

“The most important thing is not only increasing production. Our farmers and fisherfolk must also earn more. The way to achieve that is by providing roads, bridges, ports, trading centers and post-harvest facilities so their livelihoods continue to improve,” Laurel said.

He said the project would reduce the country’s dependence on imported milkfish fry from Indonesia. The three 40-hectare hatcheries are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate said aquaculture now accounts for 52 percent of the country’s fisheries output, overtaking capture fisheries.

The DA is also developing agroports — expanded versions of traditional fish ports — in Batangas, Zamboanga del Norte and Albay to reduce transport costs and improve market access.

Laurel also credited the Marcos administration with doubling the DA’s budget from about P100 billion under the previous administration to roughly P200 billion.

“Actually, it is still not enough. But a 100 percent increase is, of course, very welcome. Now we have to make sure the DA fully utilizes those funds,” he said.

NFA infra

Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations Asis Perez said the department hopes to increase its budget to P250 billion before the end of the administration.

Meanwhile, National Food Authority Administrator Larry Lacson said the agency received infrastructure funding for the first time since 1985, with P5 billion allocated in 2024 and P5.363 billion in 2025 for warehouses, dryers and milling facilities.