Agriculture production contracted 1.5 percent in the second quarter of the year, pulled by the livestock and fisheries subsectors, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
First half output declined 2.5 percent but the value of agricultural production at current prices rose 7.2 percent to P503.3 billion from the previous year’s level.
Production growths in crops and poultry subsectors were not enough to offset the drop in livestock and fisheries.
Production in the crops subsector went up by 3.1 percent in the second quarter and contributed 56.2 percent to total agricultural production. At current prices, the subsector grossed P267.2 billion, 1.9 percent more than last year’s gross receipts.
Palay production increased by 1.2 percent to 4.17 million metric tons (MT) during the quarter compared with 4.13 million MT the previous quarter while corn grew 6.3 percent to 1.44 million MT from 1.35 million MT.
High- value crops such as sugarcane, potato, onion, cabbage, cacao, rubber, pineapple, tomato, ampalaya, eggplant banana, coconut and sweet potato also registered higher productions.
In the first six months of 2021, crop production increased by 3.2 percent.
The poultry subsector posted a 2.5 percent growth in output for the quarter, accounting for 13.5 percent of total agricultural output. Its gross value of output also went up by 13.9 percent to P70.1 billion at current prices.
Production growths were observed for ducks at 38.4 percent to 6,810 MT from 4,920 MT; chicken eggs at 13.1 percent to 167,930 MT from 148,450 MT; and duck eggs at 1.8 percent to 14,000 MT from 13,760 MT.
Chicken contracted 1.6 percent to 433,110 MT from 440,000 MT.
From January to June 2021, the subsector recorded a 2.6 percent decline in output.
The livestock subsector, which contributed 14.2 percent to total agricultural production slumped by 19.3 percent in the second quarter of 2021. At current prices, gross value of livestock production amounted to P85.8 billion, 18.6 percent higher than last year’s value.
Hog, which is the sector’s main driver, plummeted 26.2 percent to 406,070 MT from 550,020 MT while dairy went down by 6.6 percent to 6,140 MT from 6,580 MT.
Higher decreases in output were also reported for cattle, carabao and goat.
In the first half of 2021, the subsector’s gross output dropped by 21.4 percent.
The fisheries subsector decreased by 1.1 percent during the period and contributed 16.1 percent to total agricultural output. At current prices, the subsector grossed P80.2 billion, a 9.5 percent improvement compared to last year’s gross earnings for the period.
Double-digit contractions were recorded for yellowfin tuna, galunggong, bisugo, tulingan, fimbriated sardines, skipjack and tamban.
In the first half of 2021, the subsector’s production went down by 0.5 percent.
