The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday it is expecting the downloading of PHP6.2 billion in funds to support Filipino farmers and fishers ahead of the “very strong” El Niño.

The fund will be disbursed to the DA under the administration’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT).

In a press briefing, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said this budget will help cushion the impact of rising fuel and farm input costs, as well as the “challenging” effect of the El Niño phenomenon in 2027.

“We do not see an impact of El Niño on our overall supply. It will be the first semester next year,” he said.

The phenomenon is projected to begin in the fourth quarter of the year, which may affect upcoming rice production for the dry harvest season in 2027.

“Ang isa sa mga gagawin talaga ng DA is to maximize ‘yung yield doon sa mga areas na hindi apektado ng El Niño (One of the DA’s plans is to maximize the yield in areas less affected by El Niño),” he said.

“Kaya may request ngayon under the UPLIFT ng budget… para sa fertilizer, para sa fuel assistance in preparation for El Niño (That’s why we have a request under the UPLIFT budget… for the fertilizer, for the fuel assistance in preparation for El Niño).”

To date, the DA is just awaiting the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the PHP6.2 billion funding from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

De Mesa noted that the budget under the UPLIFT may be used to release fuel subsidies to registered farmers and fishers, as well as fertilizer support.

As of Aug. 28, the price of urea-prilled (46-0-0) ranges from PHP2,207.33 to PHP2,768.8 per 50-kg. bag, while the prevailing price of urea-granular is between PHP2,442.37 and PHP1,952.04 per 50-kg. bag of complete (14-14-14) fertilizer, according to the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.

Besides these, De Mesa also mentioned their request for an additional PHP10 billion dedicated to El Niño response under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The DA is also seeking more support for solar irrigation projects to cushion the phenomenon’s impact.

To date, De Mesa said, they are requesting about PHP5 billion, much higher than the proposed PHP500 million allocation under the proposed 2027 NEP. (PNA)