Agri output grows by 5.7% in Q2

Metro Manila, Philippines - The country’s agricultural output expanded by 5.7 percent in the second quarter of 2025, with crops and poultry recording growths, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday, Aug. 8.

The 5.7 percent growth rate was faster than Q1’s 2 percent, which was revised upward from the previously reported 1.9 percent.

The PSA said the value of production in agriculture and fisheries during the April-June period was P437.53 billion.

The crops sector grew by 11.3 percent, with an estimated production value of P244.90 billion, contributing more than half to the total production value.

Palay and corn output widened by 13.9 percent and 27.3 percent, respectively.

Poultry had a 7 percent growth. Livestock and fisheries contracted by 5.9 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively.

Agriculture spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said the absence of weather extremes El Niño and La Niña helped the agri sector, noting that the data showed this year would be the “recovery period.”

The PSA said that from January to June, farm output has grown by 3.8 percent, which De Mesa said was a “very strong rebound” for the first semester.

“We are still expecting na continuous ang [that there will be continuous] growth and rebound for the next half of the year and making full positive growth for the entire year,” De Mesa told reporters.

De Mesa said the DA hopes the fisheries and livestock sectors would have continuous recovery for the third and fourth quarters.

He said the DA would ensure commercial approval and distribution of the vaccine against African Swine Fever, a disease that has been affecting local hog producers for years.