The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday forcefully pointed to concrete gains as the Philippines posted an eight-year high growth for Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry (AFF) at 3.1 percent in 2025.

The full-year agriculture expansion stood as the strongest showing in nearly a decade, marking the highest growth since the 4.2 percent recorded in 2017.

In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the result clearly reflects sustained government backing for local production and the entire value chain.

“The 2025 performance of agriculture is both encouraging and instructive — it tells us what is working and where we need to sharpen our approach,” he said.

Palay production rose decisively by 3.5 percent, corn by 3.4 percent, and sugar surged dramatically by 56 percent last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Positive growth was likewise recorded in other commodities, including coffee and cacao.

Tiu Laurel stressed—without sugarcoating—the need for targeted investments to keep these gains intact, especially amid persistent threats such as extreme weather, animal diseases, and plant pests.

These risks have repeatedly triggered “weak growth” or “outright contractions” in AFF performance in previous years.

“We are using these lessons to fine-tune our programs and accelerate investments in smarter, climate-resilient, and more productive agriculture,” Tiu Laurel said.

For the year ahead, the DA locked in funding to fast-track the construction of farm-to-market roads, cold storage facilities, drying systems, expanded financial support for farmers and fishers, and tighter management and control of both avian influenza and African swine fever.