Philippines is moving to expand agricultural exports to Japan while simultaneously importing advanced logistics and post-harvest technologies that officials say could reshape domestic supply chains, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said following meetings in Tokyo.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has reactivated its El Niño task force to prepare for a likely moderate-to-strong dry spell hitting in the fourth quarter of 2026 and lasting into early 2027. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized urgent, coordinated steps to shield crops, farmer incomes, food supply, and prices from harm.
The Philippine market for packaged soups and ready meals hit $176 million in retail sales in 2025, and is projected to rise to $237 million by 2030, according to the US Department of Agriculture in Manila, citing data from Euromonitor International.
US food manufacturers are moving to capture a bigger slice of the Philippines’ fast-growing convenience meals market, as demand for easy-to-prepare food products accelerates alongside changing consumer lifestyles.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Food Authority (NFA) have contracted six rice millers in Albay and Sorsogon to process over 114,000 bags of palay into roughly 74,600 bags of rice. Worth P19.1 million, the project aims to expand government rice reserves, free warehouse space, and support the low-cost rice program amid rising inflation.