The value of Philippine agricultural output rose to P1.77 trillion in 2025, up 2.6 percent from a year earlier—a solid showing that would have been stronger were it not for weather-related disruptions in the final quarter, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
Crop production absorbed the biggest blow. Several storms hit key farming areas late in the year, pushing the value of crops—including rice and corn—down 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter to P274.3 billion. Despite the setback, stronger performance earlier in the year lifted full-year crop output by 2.8 percent to P986.8 billion, accounting for 56 percent of total agricultural production.
Of the 23 tropical cyclones that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility last year, 22 either made landfall or stoked heavy rainfall in the second half of 2025.
The numbers underscore crops’ central role in an industry that employs one in every five Filipinos, even as the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product of the country has slipped to just under 10 percent.
When crops stumble, the ripple effects are quickly felt across rural incomes and food prices.
Livestock posted mixed results. Output rose 1 percent in the fourth quarter to P68.4 billion, buoyed largely by swine, but fell 2.3 percent for the full year to P246.4 billion. The decline reflects persistent structural challenges, particularly the lingering impact of African Swine Fever on hog production.
Poultry stood out, with fourth-quarter output up 8.9 percent to P78.2 billion, while full-year production climbed 9.1 percent to P304.7 billion. Gains across nearly all commodities except duck eggs were recorded last year. Poultry now contributes roughly 16 percent of total agricultural output, cementing its status as a key growth driver.
Fisheries, meanwhile, grew 4 percent in the fourth quarter to P66.1 billion, but edged 0.3 percent lower for the year to P233.7 billion.
Taken together, the data point to an agricultural sector still growing—but increasingly exposed to climate risks that threaten to cap its momentum.
