Agri sector posts 3.3% growth

MANILA, Philippines - The agriculture sector grew 3.3 percent in the first three months of 2013, grossing P352 billion at current prices as the crops, fishery, poultry and livestock sectors posted increases.

Farm output growth in the first quarter of 2012 was placed at 1.31 percent.

Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) showed that the crops subsector, which accounted for 54.1 percent of the total agricultural production rose 3.6 percent, boosted by palay and corn which grew 4.5 percent and 11.43 percent respectively.

For the first quarter of the year, harvest of unmilled rice was placed at 4.17 million metric tons (MT) valued at valued at P66 billion. Corn harvest was placed at 2.25 million MT of corn valued at PP27.8 billion.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the higher palay and corn harvest during the quarter were due to early planting, adequate supply of irrigation, higher average yields as a result of increased use of hybrid and certified rice seeds, hybrid and open pollinated varieties of corn seeds, and increase in cultivation areas. 

“Our efforts are paying off, and we hope to attain our sufficiency targets by year-end,” said Secretary Alcala. “For these achievements, we thank our country’s farmers and fishers for their continuous hard work and perseverance, and strong cooperation of local government units and the private sector.

The DA targets to produce more than 20 million MT of palay and 8.4 million MT of corn this year against last year’s output of 18 million MT of palay and 7.4 MMT of corn.  

Several major crops also posted positive gains during the first three months of 2013, including pineapple (5.8 percent), mango (4.5 percent), tobacco (four percent), sugarcane (2.5 percent), and onions (8.5 percent).

The fisheries subsector, which shared 16.3 percent to total agricultural production for the quarter, registered a 5.6-percent growth, grossing P59.9 billion.  This was due to higher production of cultured fish species such as tilapia, milkfish, and roundscad following the imposition of the fishing ban in the Zamboanga and Visayas Seas. 

Increase in tuna catch was also seen because of the lifting of the fishing ban in the Pacific Ocean.

The poultry subsector, accounting for 14.4 percent of total agricultural production for the first three months of the year, posted a 2.8-percent growth, grossing at P45.8 billion. 

Production growth in the subsector was led by chicken production which grew by 3.3 percent, grossing P34.6 billion  

The livestock subsector, which contributed 15.3 percent to  the total agricultural output for the quarter, recorded a modest growth of 0.3 percent grossing at P54.34 billion.

The hog industry grew by 0.36 percent, valued at P44.87 billion at current prices while carabao production fell.

Farmgate prices rose 0.03 percent in the first quarter this year.

Farmgate prices of crops rose 9.73 percent, while those of the poultry subsector rose by 7.12 percent. Prices in the fisheries subsector rose by 4.04 percent.