Agriculture production value grew 2.1 percent in the first quarter of the year as all subsectors recorded improvements, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
At constant 2018 prices, production value stood at P428.69 billion.
Livestock, which contributed 14.4 percent or P61.66 billion of total agriculture production value at constant 2018 prices, recorded the biggest increase in value for the period at 4.1 percent.
Hog production improved by 5.1 percent to 437.99 metric tons (MT) from 416.72 MT and cattle by 1.9 percent to 54.89 MT from 52.89 MT. However, other contributors in the sector such as dairy, goat and carabao, suffered a decline.
At current prices, the value of livestock production amounted to P92.86 billion, up 3.2 percent from the same period last year.
Poultry production value stood at P64.95 billion, a 3.2 percent growth at constant 2018 prices for the quarter and accounted for 15.1 percent of total agricultural output.
The subsector was pushed by growth in the production of chicken, chicken eggs and duck eggs, leaving duck as the only segment with decreased production.
Chicken production reached 470.21 MT from 455.04 MT, a 3.3 percent growth while chicken eggs hit 175.73 MT from 170.97 MT equivalent to a 2.8 percent increase.
The value of poultry production also went up by 18.3 percent to P88.90 billion at current prices.
Crops’ value of production grew 1.7 percent at constant 2018 prices to P247.77 billion and accounted for 57.8 percent or more than half of the total value of production of agriculture and fisheries.
Increases in production were registered for palay at 5.2 percent to 4.78 million MT from 4.54 million MT and corn at 3.2 percent to 2.52 million MT from 2.44 million MT.
Growth was also recorded for tobacco, onion, cassava, cabbage, abaca, tomato, mango, coconut, coffee, ampalaya and banana.
Decline in production was recorded for sugarcane, sweet potato, rubber, potato, pineapple, mongo, cacao, eggplant and calamansi.
At current prices, the subsector grossed P306.5 billion, 14 percent higher than last year’s gross receipts.
Fisheries recorded the lowest improvement at 0.3 percent growth in value of production at constant 2018 prices for the period. The sector contributed P54.32 billion or 12.7 percent of the total agriculture output.
Production increases were observed for squid, tilapia, alimasag, milkfish, matangbaka, yellowfin tuna, grouper and skipjack.
Declines were recorded for mudcrab, bigeye tuna, frigate tuna, sapsap, tiger prawn, bisugo, alumahan, talakitok, galunggong, tunsoy, tamban and seaweed.
At current prices, the subsector grossed P81.68 billion, up 25.1 percent from last year’s gross earnings for the period.
The value of the country’s entire agricultural production at current prices went up by 14.1 percent to P569.94 billion.
Raul Montemayor, Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) national manager, said the quarter’s agriculture performance appears significant due to low base effect.
“We were coming from a very low base, because in the first quarter of 2022, output declined by 0.3 percent compared to the first quarter of 2021,” Montemayor said.
“We just got back to approximately 2021 output levels for crops, fisheries (which) actually declined when compared to 2021. Only poultry and livestock grew, but these sectors were coming from low output levels due to African swine fever and other animal disease outbreaks,” Montemayor added.
FFF also said if the government continues to rely on imports to augment local supply, local farmers and fisherfolk will be further discouraged to expand their production and increase output.
Danilo Fausto, president of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. , said the first quarter performance signifies good possibilities.
“For rice, I would estimate that following the output trend for second quarter of 2021 and 2022, we will have good rice stocks good to last for more than 120 days or four months…
First and second quarter rice production will be good enough to last us until the next harvest during the wet season which is around August and September,” Fausto added.
PCAFI said production outlook for livestock, poultry and fisheries will also be good but the country will still be forced to import “for any shortage which may be caused by the upcoming El Niño and calamities.”
Jayson Cainglet, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura executive director, the group’s agreement with the National Food Authority to buy palay at guaranteed price of at least P21 per kg as well as cash subsidies from the government have contributed to improved rice production.
“If farmgate price is good, farmers are encouraged to farm. Palay farmgate since the last cropping season (has hovered) between P20 and P24 per kg for dry. Same with corn which is from P20 to P22 per kg.,” Cainglet further said. -J. Macapagal
