THE country’s agricultural trade deficit widened in July as imports increased and exports declined, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The gap reached $1.19 billion, up from $964.23 million a year earlier and $1.15 billion in June. It was the widest deficit since the $1.26 billion in March.
Total trade rose 2.6 percent to $2.60 billion from $2.53 billion in July 2025.
Exports
Exports fell 10.3 percent to $705.23 million from $786.42 million a year earlier, accounting for 8.7 percent of the country’s total exports in July.
Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils, and related products were the largest agricultural export group at $241.13 million, or 34.2 percent of the total.
Exports to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries reached $97.83 million. Malaysia was the largest market at $54.91 million; followed by Singapore, $14.49 million; and Thailand, $11.02 million.
Fats and oils were also the top agricultural exports to Asean at $44.12 million, followed by tobacco products at $20.74 million.
Exports to the European Union totaled $152.78 million, led by the Netherlands at $103.64 million; Spain, $23.83 million; and Germany, $9.30 million.
Fats and oils likewise dominated exports to the EU, reaching $101.95 million, or 66.7 percent of the total.
Imports
Imports climbed 8.4 percent to $1.90 billion from $1.75 billion in July 2025, accounting for 13.4 percent of the total.
The PSA said the July figure was the highest since imports reached $1.91 billion in May.
Cereals were the country’s largest import group at $513.90 million, or 27.1 percent of the total.
Imports from Asean countries reached $685.72 million, with Vietnam the leading supplier at $256.60 million. Indonesia followed with $174.01 million; Thailand, $115.54 million; and Malaysia, $109.53 million.
Cereals likewise comprised the largest share of Asean imports at $211.31 million, followed by fats and oils at $160.96 million.
Imports from the EU totaled $183.46 million. Spain was the largest source at $31.67 million; followed by France, $23.31 million; and the Netherlands, $21.84 million.
Dairy products, eggs, honey and other edible animal products led EU-sourced agricultural imports at $47.74 million, followed by meat and edible meat offal at $35.80 million.
