Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 11) — Farm production declined anew in the second quarter of the year, data published by the Philippine Statistics Authority this week revealed.
National agricultural output shrank by 1.5% from April to June, faring better than the -3.4% pace in the first three months of 2021 but worse than the 0.5% performance in the second quarter last year.
The latest figures yielded a 2.5% plunge in farm output for the first semester of 2021, steeper than the 0.6% fall in the same timeframe a year ago.
Livestock took the biggest blow among the subsectors, logging a double-digit plunge during the period as it continues to reel from the impact of the African Swine Fever. Fishery output also fell during the period, while crops and poultry saw growth.
Still, agricultural production for the quarter was valued at ₱503.3 billion at current prices — up by 7.2% from last year. The data likewise showed most average farmgate prices went up across the subsectors during the three months compared to the same period in 2020.
Livestock production nosedived by 19.3% during the quarter, primarily driven by decreases of 26.2% for hogs and 6.6% for dairy output. This was partially offset by double-digit growths in cattle, carabao, and goat production.
Output from fisheries eased by 1.1% from April to June. Tambakol (yellowfin tuna), galunggong (roundscad), and bisugo (threadfin bream) registered the largest double-digit drops in production. Blue crabs, tilapia, mudcrabs and milkfish, meanwhile, posted positive double-digit rates.
Crop output went up by 3.1% during the second quarter as sugarcane, potato, onion and cabbage production logged double digit growths. Meanwhile, mongo, calamansi and cassava saw the largest declines in output.
Poultry production also grew by 2.5%, with output expanding among all groups except for chicken which dwindled by 1.6%.
The Agriculture Department earlier projected a 2.5% full-year growth for the sector this year.
The DA assured the “vigorous” implementation of Bantay ASF sa Barangay and its twin hog repopulation program along with countermeasures for the upcoming closed fishing season in the last quarter of 2021.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said this will be done by “investing in aquaculture production, such as nurseries and hatcheries for bangus, tilapia, and shrimps.”
He also expressed confidence the country will achieve its targeted palay (unmilled rice) production of over 20 million metric tons for the year, and that the poultry subsector will “further rebound” in the second semester especially with higher demand during the holidays.
