Fruit-led export narrowed PH’s farm trade gap —DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday said the country ended 2025 with a narrower agricultural trade deficit amid a surge in farm exports, led by tropical fruits coupled with softer imports.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the DA said agricultural exports stood at $884.77 million in December 2025, surging 19% year-on-year and representing 36% of total agricultural trade.

Meanwhile, imports amounted to $1.55 billion or 64% of the total which resulted in an agricultural trade gap of $668.35 million, narrower by 24% year-on-year.

The DA said edible fruits and nuts, including citrus and melon peels, dominated exports at $329.72 million, accounting for 37% of total exports. 

“We are now reaping the gains of our efforts to widen our menu of farm export products and open new markets,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. 

The DA said it has identified 12 high-value crops to push for in the global markets, namely asparagus, avocado, banana, cacao, calamansi, durian, dragonfruit, mango, okra, pomelo, pineapple and rambutan to reflect shift toward products with stronger margins and clearer demand, particularly in Asian and European markets.

The DA said Malaysia was the largest Southeast Asian buyer, importing $58.1 million worth of Philippine farm goods, while exports to European Union member countries reached $220.40 million. 

The Netherlands, in particular, absorbed $154.4 million of the total farm goods export to Europe.

On the import side, the DA said agricultural purchases fell 6.2% year-on-year, with the top 10 commodity groups down 7.6%. —VAL, GMA Integrated News