THE country posted a record-high $1.03 billion in agricultural export value in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The amount marks a 33.2-percent increase in annual growth from $772.68 million in 2025.
Agricultural exports accounted for 38.7 percent of agricultural trade and 14.3 percent of total exports for April.
On the other hand, agricultural imports totaled $1.63 billion, a 3.7 percent decline from $1.69 billion in 2025. This was also the lowest agricultural import value in 10 months since the $1.55 billion in June 2025.
Imports accounted for 61.3 percent of total agricultural trade and 12.4 percent of total imports for April.
This resulted in a total agricultural trade of $2.66 billion in April, up by 7.8 percent from $2.47 billion in April 2025 and higher than the 5.2 percent last year.
However, this was the lowest total agricultural trade value since the $2.46 billion in February.
Trade deficit
Meanwhile, agricultural trade deficit in April was $600.09 million, the lowest since the $510.78 million in February 2021. This marked a 34.7-percent drop from the $919.64 million in April 2025.
Exports breakdown
Animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; and animal or vegetable waxes accounted for the largest share of agricultural exports in April at $443.57 million or 43.1 percent of the total.
Exports to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member countries totaled $119.89 million or 11.2 percent of its total value in April. Malaysia accounts for $70.01 million, or 58.4 percent, of total agricultural exports to Asean members.
Animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; and animal or vegetable waxes were the top agricultural exports to Asean member countries at $64.17 million, or 53.5 percent of the total.
These were followed by tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes; products, whether or not containing nicotine, intended for inhalation without combustion; other nicotine-containing products intended for the intake of nicotine into the human body ($28.09 million, 23.4 percent); and miscellaneous edible preparations ($5.85 million, 4.9 percent).
Agricultural exports to European Union (EU) member countries reached $295.57 million in April, or 33.0 percent of the total. The Netherlands accounted for 61.6 percent or $182.21 million of exports to EU member countries for the month.
Animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; and animal or vegetable waxes topped the exports to EU member countries at $230.68 million or 78.0 percent of the total.
These were followed by preparations of meat, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, other aquatic invertebrates, or insects ($22.79 million, 7.7 percent) and preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, or other parts of plants ($18.64 million, 6.3 percent).
Imports breakdown
Cereals topped imports in March at $321.65 million or 19.7 percent of the total.
Imports from Asean member countries totaled $648.25 million or 19.9 percent of the total for the same period.
Vietnam accounted for $226.14 million or 34.9 percent of the total.
Animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; and animal or vegetable waxes topped imports from Asean member countries at $195.52 million or 30.2 percent.
These were followed by cereals ($175.01 million, 27.0 percent) and miscellaneous edible preparations ($82.89 million, 12.8 percent).
Imports from EU member countries reached $128.66 million or 21.3 percent of the total for March.
Spain accounted for $26.80 million or 20.8 percent of total imports from EU member countries.
Meat and edible meat offal comprised imports from EU member countries at $35.21 million or 27.4 percent of the total.
These were followed by dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin not elsewhere specified or included ($21.74 million, 16.9 percent); and residues and waste from the food industries and prepared animal fodder ($20.20 million, 15.7 percent).