Livestock (INQUIRER.net stock images)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing “significant” changes in its budget for 2025 as part of its bid to increase food production in the country.
In a statement on Monday, the DA said its Chief, Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., will propose a budget for next year that will support the department’s efforts to enhance agricultural productivity.
READ: DA forced to drop P50-M secret funds in ’24 budget
“The budget in 2025 will be very different from this year,” Laurel was quoted as saying.
According to the department, it was given P197.8 billion this year, with P118.6 billion of the total allocated for rice-related initiatives.
But apart from just increasing the production of the staple grain, the DA said that it is also seeking a budget that will allow it to “increase livestock, poultry and high-value crop output, widen irrigation coverage using solar-powered systems, improve post-harvest facilities for rice and corn, and rationalize the use of fertilizers.”
This statement comes as the Philippine Chamber for Agriculture and Food Incorporated recommended reducing the rice-related budget and reallocating the funds to the production of high-value crops, livestock, and poultry.
The DA bared in the same statement that in its 2024 budget, P5 billion was allocated for high-value crop programs, while P6.1 billion was set aside for livestock and poultry.
READ: Low agri budget for 2024: Group says it shows farming not priority
It further said the two categories of key agricultural products contribute more to the country’s agricultural output, with high-value crops accounting for 33 percent and livestock and poultry for 30 percent, higher than the 23 percent share for rice.
The DA is yet to reveal an exact figure on what its proposed budget for 2025 will be.
Looking back, DA’s 2024 budget of P197 billion is already higher than its 2023 budget of P157 billion.
However, farmers’ groups claimed this amount was still too low to show that the government is prioritizing its agriculture sector.