The Department of Agriculture (DA) called on farmers and local governments to invest more in livestock and key crops to reduce the Philippines’ heavy reliance on food imports, Agriculture undersecretary for operations Roger Navarro said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Municipal Agri-Fishery Investment Forum in Cebu City, Navarro said the country’s agricultural trade deficit remains high at about US$11 billion, reflecting gaps in domestic supply despite strong local demand. He said boosting local production for the domestic market can still deliver good returns.
Navarro urged municipalities to diversify investments across bananas, vegetables, coffee, coconut, livestock, poultry, and fisheries. He said coffee and coconut are priority sectors, with new coffee areas being developed in Mindanao and coconut production weakened by aging trees and long-term neglect. He also noted improving conditions in the swine industry after African swine fever outbreaks, steady performance in poultry, and strong potential in fisheries and aquaculture.
However, Navarro said weak post-harvest facilities—such as drying, storage, and cold chain systems—continue to drive losses and price swings. To address this, the DA plans to build around 300 drying facilities with warehouses this year and expand cold storage nationwide. He added that high input costs, logistics issues, limited credit, and climate risks remain major challenges the government is trying to address through better-aligned national and local investments.
