Speaking at the 25th National Tuna Congress in General Santos City, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. praised the industry for putting the Philippines on the global seafood map—but warned that resting on past success is not an option.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported an increase in Philippine tuna production from 409,797.17 MT in 2023 to 494,047.02 MT in 2024, a 20.56 percent higher than the previous year.
Meanwhile, export data, also from the PSA, showed that the value of shipments rose by 31 percent to USD514.47 million in 2024 from USD391.81 million in 2023.
The DA chief called for science-based management of tuna stocks, tighter enforcement, better traceability, and stronger support for fisherfolk. ### (Photos by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)
