MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture posted a 4.53 percent drop in production in the first three months of 2016.
The output increments in the livestock and poultry sub-sectors were not enough to offset the downturn in the performance of the crops and fisheries sub-sectors due to prolonged dry spell and damages caused by Typhoons “Lando” and “Nona”. Gross earnings amounted to P375.2 billion at current prices or 1.49 percent lower than the last year’s level.
The crops sub-sector contracted by 8.55 percent. It contributed 52.06 percent to the total agricultural output. Palay and corn registered output losses of 9.97 percent and 19.07 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, production gains were recorded by cassava, tobacco, abaca, pineapple, coffee, sugarcane and mongo. The sub-sector grossed P211.1 billion at current prices. This represented a 3.50 percent decline from the previous year’s earnings.
On the other hand, livestock production expanded by 4.66 percent. The sub-sector accounted for 17.18 percent of total agricultural output. Hog, as the main growth catalyst, came up with a 5.47 percent increase in production. At current prices, the sub-sector’s gross value of output amounted to P60.0 billion which was 1.23 percent higher than last year’s record.
The poultry sub-sector grew by 1.01 percent. It recorded a 15.85 percent share in the total agricultural production. All components recorded output gains except for chicken. The sub-sector’s gross earnings at current prices amounted to P52.2 billion and indicated an 8.85 percent improvement this year compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the fisheries sub-sector came down with a 5.11 percent reduction in output. It contributed 14.92 percent to the total agricultural output. Lower production levels were noted for the major fish species. At current prices, the sub-sector grossed P51.9 billion, down by 5.43 percent from the last year’s earnings.
On the average, farm-gate prices increased by 3.19 percent in the first three (3) months of the year. Price up-trends were observed in the crops and poultry sub-sectors with respective gains of 5.51 percent and 7.77 percent. On the other hand, price downtrends were recorded in the livestock sub-sector at 3.27 percent and in the fisheries sub-sector at 0.33 percent. (PSA)