The Department of Agriculture (DA) is investing P550 million over the next two years to build a nationwide network of seed storage facilities, betting that a stronger reserve of quality planting materials will help shield Philippine agriculture from increasingly frequent climate shocks while giving the seed industry more room to innovate.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government aims to establish seed storage systems across all regions after recent weather-related disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s agricultural supply chain.
“Our target is to have seed storage systems in all regions to avoid a repeat of what happened in Baguio, where we didn’t have enough carrot seeds to replace those washed out,” Tiu Laurel said during the launch of the upgraded Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) seed storage facility in Quezon City.
The shortage of carrot seeds forced farmers to plant cabbage instead, resulting in a carrot shortage and a cabbage glut—an example of how limited access to quality seeds can quickly ripple through food supply, prices, and farm incomes.
The DA has earmarked P250 million for 2026 to build larger storage facilities in key agricultural areas, including Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Panay, and Iloilo, with another P300 million proposed for 2027 as it expands the network in one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, while its location along the western edge of the Pacific Ocean places it directly in the path of many of the typhoons that batter the region each year.
The upgraded BPI facility features three 400-square-meter storage rooms capable of housing 9,000 bags of seeds, primarily rice. BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said the refurbishment cost less than P3 million, with more than half invested in a solar power system that supplies about 60 percent of the facility’s electricity requirements.
Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro said incorporating solar energy into the warehouses is as important as the storage capacity itself because it keeps operating costs low while ensuring facilities remain functional during disruptions.
“This supports our goal of reducing production costs for farmers while making these facilities sustainable over the long term,” said Navarro, adding that future seed storage warehouses will likewise be equipped with substantial solar power systems.
Industry players welcomed the initiative, saying government investment in seed storage addresses a longstanding gap in the agricultural value chain.
“This is a big help for the local seed industry. Not all seed companies have the capital to build and maintain this kind of facility,” said Julius Barcelona, chief operating officer of Harbest Agribusiness Corp. and vice president of the Philippine Seed Industry Association.
Barcelona said publicly accessible storage facilities would allow companies to redirect capital previously tied up in maintaining emergency seed inventories toward research and development of higher-yielding and climate-resilient varieties.
As climate risks intensify, the DA’s strategy signals a shift in agricultural policy—from responding to disasters after they occur to building resilience beforehand, ensuring that farmers have access to quality seeds when they are needed most.
