Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Wednesday that the country's agricultural sector is expecting to experience reduced damage this year, thanks to more favorable weather conditions. This optimistic outlook comes as a relief to many farmers still recovering from previous years' extreme weather patterns.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center has reported minimal losses from Typhoon Bising (international name: Danas) and the southwest monsoon. So far, the DA-DDRMOC has recorded PHP300,863 worth of damage to palay (unhusked rice), affecting 13 farmers. The DA's spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa, highlighted that the current rainy season has been more beneficial compared to last year's challenging conditions caused by alternating El Ni±o and La Ni±a events.

De Mesa stated in a press briefing that the country will no longer experience the severe typhoons that were prevalent last year, which were exacerbated by El Ni±o and La Ni±a phenomena. He emphasized that the improved weather conditions are beneficial for the agriculture sector, minimizing potential damage and ensuring more robust production.

In 2024, the Philippines sustained significant losses of at least 1 million metric tons (MT) of palay, a figure that far exceeds the historical range of 500,000 MT to 600,000 MT annual agricultural losses. However, with the anticipated improvements in local palay production, the volume of rice imports is also expected to decline. De Mesa noted that the importation level last year was the highest recorded at 4.8 million metric tons of milled rice.

For the first half of 2025, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) recorded lower import arrivals at 2.236 million MT, compared to 2.34 million MT during the same period in 2024. The DA projects that import volumes may be lower than 4.8 million MT for the year, taking into account both the positive harvest outlook and lower global rice prices.

The DA is aiming to achieve a target of 20.46 million MT in local palay production by the end of the year, signaling a strong recovery and a promising future for the agricultural sector.