A mechanical reaper harvests palay in Barangay Talipapa, Nueva Ecija on Aug. 12, 2025. The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday (April 10, 2026) said it is ramping up efforts to ensure food security in the Philippines in the coming months amid rising fuel costs and the looming El Niño phenomenon. (Photo courtesy of DA)
The Department of Agriculture is stepping up measures to protect the country’s food supply as rising fuel prices linked to the Middle East crisis and the looming El Niño threaten to drive up farm production costs in the months ahead.
Speaking during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing on Friday, Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez said the agency is preparing for the worst-case scenario to prevent disruptions that could hurt both farmers and consumers.
Perez said the government is taking a proactive approach by mapping out possible risks early and putting interventions in place before the situation worsens.
“The good thing about this is that we know what’s likely to happen and we’re able to set up a scenario of what’s going to happen and how to address them. The government is very proactive,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that more work still needs to be done to strengthen the response.
“Nobody is prepared for this. We’re making great strides so that we can immediately respond, and we have responded. But again, that’s not enough. We will try to expand and accelerate it,” Perez said.
Among the biggest concerns facing the farm sector are rising fuel and fertilizer prices, both of which could weaken agricultural productivity during the dry months. Perez warned that some farmers may cut back on fertilizer use to save money, even as El Niño conditions force them to rely more heavily on fuel-powered irrigation pumps.
“We’re expecting that because of this increase in production cost, some may reduce fertilizer use because they are trying to save. With El Niño, you need to use pumps, and again, that will require fuel,” he said.
To blunt the impact, the DA has started releasing fuel subsidies to registered farmers and fisherfolk. It is also rolling out P10 billion in financial assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fishers program, which is expected to benefit around 4.175 million registered Filipino farmers and fisherfolk with P2,325 each.
Perez added that the agency has also tapped half of its P1-billion quick response fund to procure biofertilizer and is exploring ways to stretch its budget further, including shifting its urea procurement allocation to buy a more affordable liquid fertilizer alternative for local producers.
“We are able to anticipate the challenge, and this early, we are banking on solutions. Even now, we are already doing something to address those possible challenges,” he said.
He cautioned that failing to adjust the government’s approach could deal a heavy blow to farm output.
“If we do business as usual, there will really be a huge impact on agricultural production,” Perez said.
Recent data from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority showed that from March 30 to April 3, urea-prilled fertilizer prices ranged from P1,832.50 to P2,592.50 per 50-kilo bag, with a prevailing price of P2,181.46. Urea-granular carried a prevailing price of P2,226.67 per 50-kilo bag, while complete 14-14-14 fertilizer was priced at P1,780.59.
Perez also said the DA is working to protect agricultural workers from the ripple effects of geopolitical tensions, particularly as the next harvest season approaches. Rather than relying solely on direct cash aid, the department is looking at ways to channel government support into production-related assistance, including covering labor costs for farm workers.
“If workers are in distress, they can be supported, but we want to do it in such a way that it is production-related,” he said.
He said using government funds to help shoulder labor expenses would not only ease the burden on farm owners grappling with higher fuel costs, but also help sustain farm productivity.
“At least the labor cost will be covered by our existing program, and that will help overall productivity. The cost to produce is partly covered by government funds. That is to relieve owners, of course, of the additional burden since fuel prices have increased,” Perez said.
The agriculture department is also coordinating closely with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development as it works to cushion the impact on farm workers and safeguard food production.
