MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is expecting record-high palay output in 2025 at 20.4 million metric tons (MT), following an El Niño year and an onslaught of storms by the tail end of 2024.
The optimism comes from “President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to restore the DA budget for rice production,” the agency said in a statement on Monday, January 20.
“We’re now hopeful we could do better than 2023,” said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. The current record palay harvest hit 20.06 million MT in 2023.
In 2024, palay production suffered due to El Niño and the consecutive storms that ravaged agricultural fields. DA’s preliminary estimate for 2024 palay output is only at 19.3 million MT.
Marcos’ directive, the statement said, is to restore P10 billion to the National Rice Program (NRP). The NRP is DA’s banner program that aims to boost local production and achieve at least 90% rice self-sufficiency.
According to DA spokesman Arnel De Mesa, the agency already has P21 billion for the rice program secured in the 2025 budget. But they are asking for more funds.
“Ngayon, ‘yung budget ng rice program ay nasa P21 billion as per the 2025 General Appropriations [Act],” De Mesa told reporters on Monday.
“We’re seeking additional P9 to 10 billion para sa rice program. And depende sa DBM kung saan nila i-so-source.”
(Now, the budget of the rice program is around P21 billion as per the 2025 General Appropriations Act. We’re seeking additional P9 to 10 billion for the rice program. It depends on the DBM where they will source that.)
While local production declined in 2024, imports rose to a record-high of 4.78 million MT.
— Rappler.com