MANILA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) said Friday it is sharpening its focus on oil palm, confident that expanded plantations in Mindanao in the southern Philippines can curb imports, raise farm incomes, and strengthen the country's edible oil supply.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the government plans to significantly increase funding for the emerging sector in 2027 after this year's proposed 1 billion pesos (about 17 million U.S. dollars) allocation was trimmed to just 79 million pesos (1.4 million dollars).
The DA is now targeting a 1.2 billion-peso (about 20.8 million dollars) budget next year to support fertilizer assistance, accelerate area expansion, and enhance farm productivity, highlighting a renewed push to scale up oil palm production.
Oil palm plantations currently span about 100,000 hectares nationwide, with the majority located in Mindanao, the DA said.
Despite rising local output, the Philippines continues to import substantial volumes of palm oil, leaving a supply gap that the DA aims to narrow. Enditem
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