Agriculture sector seen growing by 2% this year

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture is bringing back its two percent growth target for the farm sector for 2020 as major commodities are expected to lead the performance.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the agency is optimistic it could attain its full-year growth target of two percent, highlighting the agri sector’s relative strength and resiliency amid the pandemic.

Last August, the DA revised downward  the farm sector’s growth target to 1.5 percent. The target, however, was revised upward to two percent just last week.

“We remain bullish on the positive performance of the agriculture sector this year, particularly of rice, corn and other major commodities, amid the huge challenges and economic slowdown due to the continued community quarantine,” Dar said.

“Our confidence is buoyed by the fact that the agriculture sector managed to grow by 1.6 percent during the second quarter of the year, when most industries and economic sectors were reeling from the lockdowns and reduced activities,” he said.

For the remaining months of 2020, Dar said the DA would continue to focus its resources in accelerating growth in key sub-sectors to hit the full-year growth target.

Dar is also relying on the P24-billion stimulus package allocation for the DA under the Bayanihan 2 as this will enable the agency to continue and intensify its productivity and income-enhancement projects, not just for rice and corn, but also for other commodity programs.

“It will also allow us to deliver social protection and amelioration projects to most affected farmers and fisherfolk as part of our flagship Plant Plant Plant program,” Dar said.

Further, Dar is riding on the crest of emerging consensus that an agriculture-driven economy is the best strategy to enable the country to rise stronger from the crisis and subsequently get stronger support and higher 2021 budget from Congress.

The DA is currently defending its proposed 2021 budget of P86.3 billion, which is eight percent higher than this year’s P79.9 billion.

The DA is expected to meet with the House plenary next week, while its budget presentation at the Senate is scheduled in the second week of October.

“We are hopeful that our senators and district representatives will support our proposed 2021 budget, and maybe give us more so we can intensify our program implementation and provide support to a greater number of farmers and fisherfolk under the new normal,” Dar said.