By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES’ agricultural manufacturing plunged by 3.7% within the third quarter, the steepest decline in practically 4 years, the statistics authority mentioned on Wednesday.
Knowledge from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) confirmed the worth of manufacturing in agriculture and fisheries at fixed 2018 costs fell by 3.7% to P397.43 billion within the July-to-September interval. This was worse than the 0.2% decline in the identical interval a 12 months in the past.
This was additionally the largest drop in farm output for the reason that 3.8% contraction within the fourth quarter of 2020.
Within the first 9 months, agricultural output shrank by 2.2%, a reversal of the 0.2% development a 12 months prior.
“This was attributed to the reductions within the values of crops, livestock and fisheries manufacturing,” the PSA mentioned.
The Division of Agriculture (DA) in an announcement mentioned the decrease farm manufacturing was resulting from antagonistic climate and the lingering influence of African Swine Fever (ASF).
Damaged down, crops manufacturing slid by 5.1% within the quarter ending-September, worsening from the 0.2% drop a 12 months earlier. Crops accounted for greater than half or 53.2% of the overall farm output.
Within the January-September interval, the worth of manufacturing in crops slid by 4.6%, reversing the 0.9% improve a 12 months earlier.
“Undeniably, the mixed results of El Niño and La Niña weighed down palay manufacturing, a significant contributor to the crop sector, which accounts for greater than half of the worth of agricultural and fisheries output,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. mentioned.
Palay (unmilled rice) manufacturing primarily contributed to this decline, plunging by 12.3% within the third quarter.
PSA knowledge confirmed sugarcane plummeted by 83.8% throughout the July-to-September interval. Decrease output was additionally seen in mango (-11.2%), ampalaya (-5.6%), rubber (-4.6%), cassava (-3.9%), banana (-1.1%), pineapple (-0.4%), and coconut (-0.1%).
“Alternatively, the worth of corn manufacturing was 1.3% larger than final 12 months’s identical quarter stage,” it added.
In the meantime, livestock manufacturing, which accounted for 15.5% of the overall, fell by 6.7% within the third quarter. This was a reversal of the two.5% growth a 12 months in the past.
The worth of livestock output dropped by 3.5% within the first 9 months from the two.4% development within the earlier 12 months.
This as hog manufacturing slumped by 8% within the third quarter, reversing the three.3% growth a 12 months in the past.
“There have been additionally extra livestock hit by the ASF this third quarter in comparison with the quarter a 12 months in the past,” Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Government Director Jayson H. Cainglet mentioned in blended English and Filipino.
The most recent bulletin from the Bureau of Animal Trade confirmed there are lively ASF circumstances in 108 municipalities throughout 25 provinces as of Oct. 18.
There was additionally a drop within the worth of manufacturing for goat (-4.1%) and carabao (0.5%). Alternatively, larger manufacturing was seen for dairy (6%) and cattle (0.9%).
In the meantime, fisheries manufacturing declined by 5.5% within the third quarter, though bettering from the 6.1% contraction in the identical interval in 2023.
Fisheries accounted for 14% of the agriculture sector’s whole manufacturing within the quarter.
Within the nine-month interval, the worth of fisheries output dipped by 0.9%, bettering from the 7% contraction a 12 months in the past.
Double-digit declines had been recorded for grouper or lapu-lapu (-31.9%), big-eyed scad or matangbaka (-23%), fimbriated sardines or tunsoy (-18.9%), Indian mackerel or alumahan (-18.8%); yellowfin tuna or tambakol (-18.6%), spherical scad or galunggong (-17.2%), tiger prawn or sugpo (-16.7%), mudcrab or alimango (-14.8%), slipmouth or sapsap (-14.7%); and squid or pusit (-11.9%).
Manufacturing likewise declined for frigate tuna or tulingan (-7.5%), milkfish or bangus (-6.9%), Bali Sardinella or tamban (-6.7%), cavalla or talakitok (-4.6%), tilapia (-4.2%), and seaweed (-1.5%).
“The fisheries subsector additionally suffered from the antagonistic climate,” the Agriculture division mentioned.
Mr. Cainglet mentioned there have been extra typhoons this 12 months in comparison with final 12 months.
A lot of storms and typhoons struck the nation within the third quarter, leading to vital agricultural harm.
These embrace the mixed results of southwest monsoon and Storm Carina (P4.73 billion), Extreme Tropical Storm Enteng (P3.77 billion), and the mixed results of the improved southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Ferdie, Gener, and Helen (P1.09 billion), in response to DA estimates.
LONE BRIGHT SPOT
In the meantime, poultry was the one sector to put up features within the third quarter. Poultry manufacturing grew by 5.8%, quicker than the two.9% in the identical interval a 12 months in the past.
Poultry output expanded by 6.8% within the January-September interval from 2.5% a 12 months earlier. It accounted for 17.3% of the overall worth of agricultural manufacturing.
Development was seen for hen eggs (6.6%) and hen (6%), whereas declines had been seen in duck eggs (-5.7%) and duck (-3.2%).
Federation of Free Farmers Nationwide Supervisor Raul Q. Montemayor mentioned that the contraction in total farm output was additionally as a result of sector’s vulnerability to shocks.
“Whereas we will level to climate disturbances and animal ailments for the decline in output, it additionally reflects the low stage of resiliency and vulnerability of the sector to exterior forces,” he mentioned.
“The output decline was due primarily to a discount within the quantity, which was not in a position to offset a common upswing in costs,” he added.
Mr. Cainglet mentioned that farmgate costs of palay and hog have continued to be low resulting from over importation and decreased tariffs. “Even the farmgate value of hen, regardless of the expansion, is beneath value of manufacturing. The farmgate value of hen is at P90 per kilo,” he added.
The manager order slashing tariffs on rice imports to fifteen% till 2028 took effect in July.
Mr. Tiu Laurel mentioned the federal government is engaged on measures to help the sector, equivalent to persevering with to develop a vaccine for ASF.
“We’re implementing modifications to the rice cropping calendar and constructing infrastructure like water impounding dams to mitigate the influence of local weather change on the farming sector,” he added.
The DA is focusing on 1-2% agricultural development this 12 months.
The agriculture sector sometimes accounts for a couple of tenth of the nation’s gross home product (GDP). It additionally gives a couple of quarter of all jobs.
The PSA is scheduled to launch third-quarter GDP knowledge as we speak (Nov. 7).
