2024 a ‘perfect storm’ for agriculture – DA chief

MANILA, Philippines —  The year 2024 has been a “perfect storm” for the agriculture sector amid the destruction brought by various calamities in the country, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

“This year was full of challenges, from the El Niño, La Niña and the devastation of various pests. This year was a perfect storm for the agriculture sector,” Tiu Laurel said in his Christmas message.

The successive typhoons from October to November also resulted in billions of damage to the farm sector with tropical cyclones Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito battering the Philippines in a span of less than one month.

“Because of your (stakeholders) hard work, dedication and united action, we were able to overcome all of these challenges,” Tiu Laurel added.

At the same time, the agriculture chief thanked farmers, fisherfolk, farm workers, international partners and stakeholders for their contribution to the farm sector.

“Of course, (I would like to thank) my DA family from the central office, regional offices down to our agricultural attachés in different parts of the world. All your contributions, big or small, from the offices, farmlands and fishponds helped in the development of the sector,” he said.

Tiu Laurel acknowledged that the work will not end even if 2024 is coming to an end.

“I know our work will not end. We will face many challenges but I believe that we will overcome all of these, especially with our aim to harvest enough supply and bring food to the table of every Filipino family,” Tiu Laurel said.

Total rice imports reached 4.48 million metric tons (MT) as the DA assured the public of at least 90-day stocks by the end of 2024.

Based on latest data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), at least 4.482 million MT of imported rice arrived in the country as of Dec. 12 as Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa has said that the total importation of the grains will reach 4.7 million MT this year.

This year’s rice imports already surpassed the total volume in 2023 by 24 percent as last year’s importation reached 3.607 million MT.

The bulk or 77 percent of the rice imports came from Vietnam, with a total volume of 3.436 million MT.

Other sources of rice imports include Thailand, 567,913 MT; Pakistan, 244,859 MT; Myanmar, 199,513 MT; India, 22,573 MT; China, 5,720 MT; Cambodia, 3,460 MT; Japan, 2,402 MT; Italy, 14 MT and Spain, 1.92 MT.

“We expect that by the end of the year, our national stock inventory will reach (an equivalent of) almost three months, good for another three months going into the lean season next year. So when we are in the lean months and we have no harvest until March and April, we will have enough stocks of rice,” De Mesa said.

He added that additional imported rice is also expected during the first quarter of 2025.

“We can expect good supply and stable retail price of rice for the first quarter next year,” he added.

Meanwhile, De Mesa assured the public of a steady supply of farm products until New Year as increase in the demand will continue until the end of the year.

“For our livestock like pork and chicken, our agri industry livestock players assured us that there will be no problem in the supply,” De Mesa said.

“When it comes to vegetables, we don’t have any problem in the supply,” he added.

However, the retail price of tomatoes remained high at P260 per kilo.

“The closed fishing season will also end in January and February 2025. We expect that the good harvest for fish will also return,” he added.