The Philippines’ agricultural trade deficit widened by nearly a quarter in September 2026 as a sharp decline in export earnings outweighed higher import spending, underscoring the country’s persistent dependence on foreign food and farm products.
The trade gap reached USD1.25 billion, up 24.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). It was the largest deficit since March, when the shortfall stood at USD1.26 billion.
Total agricultural trade amounted to USD2.53 billion, down 3.7 percent year-on-year, as export receipts fell faster than imports grew. The decline was a slight improvement from the 4.1-percent contraction recorded in August.
Agricultural exports dropped 21.2 percent to USD642.11 million from USD814.40 million a year earlier, accounting for just 25.3 percent of total agricultural trade and 6.5 percent of the country’s overall exports.
Edible fruits and nuts, including citrus fruit and melon peels, remained the biggest export category at USD229.55 million, representing 36 percent of agricultural export earnings.
The 10 largest export commodity groups generated USD622.98 million, or 97 percent of the total, but their combined value declined 21 percent from September 2025.
Imports, meanwhile, rose 4.2 percent to USD1.89 billion, accounting for 74.7 percent of agricultural trade and 12.6 percent of the country’s total imports.
Cereals accounted for the largest portion of agricultural imports at USD483.84 million, equivalent to 26 percent of the total. The 10 biggest import commodity groups were valued at USD1.62 billion, up 6.1 percent year-on-year.
Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines imported USD731.99 million worth of agricultural products from fellow ASEAN members. Indonesia was the leading supplier, accounting for USD288.43 million, or 39 percent of the regional total.
The September figures highlight the widening imbalance between agricultural exports and imports, with the country earning substantially less from overseas sales even as its food and farm import bill continued to rise.
