The Department of Agriculture (DA) is stepping up efforts to stabilize chili pepper supply and prices ahead of 2026, citing sharp price spikes during the rainy season caused by weather-related crop damage.
In a statement issued Sunday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agency is developing a plan to boost chili production, improve farm resilience to extreme weather, and make supply and pricing more predictable for consumers.
During a recent meeting, Tiu Laurel directed DA officials to establish baseline data on national and Metro Manila chili consumption, current production levels, and average yield per hectare. He said the data will serve as the basis for determining planting areas and the pace of production expansion.
Chili prices often surge during periods of heavy rain and typhoons, when harvests are disrupted while demand remains steady. The DA cited last September, when local siling labuyo prices reached as high as P800 per kilo due to weather disturbances.
“We need to know how much we consume, how much we produce, and where the gaps are,” Tiu Laurel said, stressing that reliable data is key to breaking the cycle of shortages and price spikes.
The DA emphasized that chili peppers are not limited to specific regions and can be cultivated across most parts of the country, expanding the pool of growers under the agency’s High Value Crops (HVC) program beyond traditional producing areas such as Bicol.
Chili is being positioned as a priority crop for 2026 alongside munggo, though with different objectives—bringing down chili prices while reducing mung bean imports.
Addressing weather risks remains central to the strategy. Tiu Laurel said crop damage from excessive rainfall is the primary driver of price volatility, underscoring the need for protected cultivation in strategically selected areas.
To this end, the DA is supporting the construction of greenhouses using locally available materials and typhoon-resistant structures designed to protect crops from flooding and prolonged rainfall, helping stabilize supply even during the storm season.
The agency also said access to quality planting materials—including siling labuyo, siling pansigang, and grafted bell peppers—will be expanded through the Gulayan sa Bayan program, which aims to strengthen agri-entrepreneurship in 1,370 municipalities and help address food inflation through commercial high-value crop farming and primary processing.
The initiative comes as the DA continues to monitor vegetable price movements, with bell pepper prices averaging around P250 per kilo and munggo prices showing wide fluctuations.
Tiu Laurel noted that more stable chili production would benefit the entire value chain, reducing price shocks for restaurants, food processors, and retailers, particularly during peak demand periods such as the holiday season.
