DA to propose P513.81-billion infra-heavy budget for 2025

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday that its significantly expanded budget proposal for 2025 will help address shortcomings in farm infrastructure.

In a statement, the DA said that it will propose a P513.81 billion budget for 2025. If approved, this would be more than double the DA budget of P208.58 billion in 2023.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said that the funds will support the construction of irrigation and postharvest facilities.

“(The budget) is still a work in progress but clearly shows the direction we are headed,” he added.

Under its proposed budget plan, the bulk of expenditures will go to the National Irrigation Administration, National Food Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, and the National Dairy Authority.

“The proposed combined budget for the eight DA attached corporations is P287.98 billion, more than triple their total budget of P94.3 billion for this year,” the DA said.

Mr. Laurel has said that P93 billion is needed for postharvest facilities to reduce rice and corn waste.

He added that about P1.2 trillion will be required to irrigate an additional 1.2 million hectares to boost rice production and reduce imports.

“For the DA itself, the envisioned budget for 2025 is nearly double at P225.83 billion… to allow various bureaus to cope with the need to modernize the fisheries and farm sectors as well as address food safety and anti-smuggling efforts,” the agency said.

The DA said that 57% or P294.21 billion of the proposed budget will be dedicated to rice.

Fisheries will get P50.6 billion, while locally funded projects will be allotted P45.48 billion.

It added that cross-cutting programs will be allocate P34.5 billion, high value crops P32 billion, livestock P28.56 billion, foreign-assisted projects P13.77 billion, corn P11.3 billion, and credit programs P3.38 billion. — Adrian H. Halili