IMPORTATION is a last resort, a measure to be considered only when supply shortages threaten food security and price stability, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told lawmakers on Wednesday “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,” said Tiu Laurel during a planning presentation at the House of Representatives Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle.
The plan seeks to protect the agriculture sector from external shocks such as volatile oil prices and a projected severe El Niño later this year. North Luzon — which includes the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley, as well as the Cordillera Administrative Region — was pinpointed as a crucial production hub with over 2 million hectares of agricultural land essential to the country’s food supply.
The Agriculture department is implementing climate-resilient interventions to lessen production losses during extended dry spells as part of its El Niño preparedness strategy. These include expanding greenhouse farming, building water-impounding and storage systems, and increasing the use of drip and solar-powered irrigation systems.
To lessen reliance on water-intensive staples and increase farmers’ income resilience, the agency is also promoting crop diversification.
These interventions aim to transform Philippine agriculture to adopt a proactive approach against climate shocks, Tiu Laurel said, adding that water stress remains one of the biggest threats to food security.
One of the policy measures discussed at the hearing was the adjustment of National Food Authority’s palay procurement prices to increase farmgate support. Starting September, freshly harvested palay will be purchased for P22/kg instead of the minimum P17/kg, and dry palay for P27/kg instead of P21/kg, subject to rising fertilizer costs.
“The NFA has the funds and warehouse capacity to sustain better farmgate prices by September,” Tiu Laurel said.
He discussed a more comprehensive strategy focused on increasing domestic production, enhancing logistics, and strengthening coordination with local governments and industry stakeholders to lessen the country’s dependency on emergency importation. He noted that more efficient forecasting tools will be used to better predict supply gaps before they worsen.
While lawmakers raised concerns on food prices, Tiu Laurel assured that imports will be data-driven, time-bound, and necessity-based. The Philippine Statistics Authority and the DA are harmonizing data to improve access to accurate and timely information necessary for effective production planning.
“We will not normalize imports,” Tiu Laurel said. “They will only be [resorted to] 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.”
