DA: Food supply under pressure amid El Niño

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s warning that El Niño could fuel inflation has put another challenge on the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s plate, with drought threatening domestic production even as global rice output and trade policies add uncertainty to food supplies.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has directed DA agencies to continuously revise their El Niño response plans – as fresher weather, crop, water and market data come in – seeking to minimize the drought’s impact on food security, supply and prices.

“The lessons we learned from the powerful El Niño episode that ended in mid-2024 should help us respond better to the climate challenge we now face,” Tiu Laurel said.

He said the DA is working on both immediate assistance to local producers and preemptive measures to secure food supplies before weather disruptions translate into shortages and higher prices.

The BSP raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points on Thursday in a preemptive move against stubborn inflation and did not rule out further monetary action if price pressures persist.