DA Prioritizes Local Agriculture, Limits Imports to Emergency Supply Needs

AGRI-NEWS | Farming Posted on 2026-05-16 05:27:28

The Department of Agriculture (DA) reaffirmed that importation remains only a last-resort measure as the government intensifies efforts to stabilize food prices, strengthen local production, and safeguard the country’s long-term food security.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. assured lawmakers during a House Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle hearing on May 13 that the administration continues to prioritize domestic agriculture over foreign sourcing.

“Importation is not our first resort—it is our last line of defense,” Tiu Laurel emphasized. “Under this administration, we have deliberately reduced dependence on imports. Every decision to allow entry is weighed against its impact on farmers, consumers, and long-term food security.”

The DA chief also presented a comprehensive preparedness strategy aimed at protecting the agriculture sector from multiple external threats, including volatile oil prices and the possible return of a severe El Niño phenomenon later this year.

North Luzon—covering Regions 1, 2, and the Cordillera Administrative Region—was identified as one of the country’s most critical agricultural production hubs, with more than two million hectares of farmland contributing significantly to the national food supply.

As part of the government’s climate resilience program, the DA is accelerating the rollout of climate-smart agricultural interventions designed to reduce production losses during prolonged dry conditions. These initiatives include the expansion of greenhouse farming systems, development of water impounding and storage facilities, and wider implementation of drip irrigation and solar-powered irrigation technologies.

The department is also encouraging crop diversification to lessen dependence on water-intensive crops while improving farmers’ income stability and resilience against climate-related disruptions.

Secretary Laurel said the government’s goal is to transition Philippine agriculture from a reactive approach to a more proactive and sustainable system capable of withstanding future climate shocks.

One of the major policy measures discussed during the hearing was the planned increase in the National Food Authority’s (NFA) palay procurement prices to provide stronger support for Filipino farmers. Beginning in September, the NFA buying price for freshly harvested palay is expected to rise to ₱22 per kilo from the current minimum of ₱17, while dry palay procurement prices may increase to ₱27 per kilo from ₱21, subject to prevailing fertilizer costs.

“The NFA has the funds and warehouse capacity to sustain better farmgate prices by September,” Tiu Laurel noted.

The DA also emphasized its broader strategy of boosting domestic food production, improving logistics systems, strengthening coordination with local government units and industry stakeholders, and enhancing forecasting capabilities to anticipate supply shortages before they escalate into crises.

Lawmakers raised concerns over potential food price increases, prompting the agriculture chief to reiterate that importation decisions would remain data-driven, temporary, and strictly necessity-based.

To improve agricultural planning and ensure more accurate monitoring of food supply conditions, the DA is also pursuing data harmonization efforts with the Philippine Statistics Authority.

“We will not normalize imports,” Secretary Laurel stressed. “They will only be deployed when supply truly fails, prices spiral, and consumers are at risk. Our priority is simple: strengthen local agriculture first, and import only when absolutely unavoidable.”

The DA’s renewed focus on local production and climate resilience reflects the administration’s continuing push to build a stronger, more self-reliant, and sustainable agricultural sector capable of protecting both farmers and consumers amid growing global and environmental challenges.

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