MANILA — The agriculture sector grew by 6.18 percent in the second quarter of 2017, bolstered by increased output of crops and poultry.
Data provided by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), showed that agriculture at current prices grossed PHP422.36 billion, up by 11.41 percent from the previous year’s record.
Gross output in agriculture expanded by 5.71 percent in the first half.
The crops subsector, with a share of 50.75 percent of the total agricultural production, posted output increase of 11.72 percent.
Palay and corn posted output increments of 11.72 percent and 45.97 percent, respectively.
Improvements in production were recorded among the other crops except for coffee, mango, tobacco and abaca.
The PSA said poultry sub-sector, accounting for 16.02 percent of the total agricultural output, posted an increase of 8.36 percent. Chicken contributed to the subsector’s performance with its 9.32-percent increment in production.
On the other hand, production of livestock and fisheries subsectors went down by 1.38 percent and 2.93 percent, respectively.
The livestock subsector, contributing 16.38 percent to total agricultural output, contracted by 1.38 percent. Except for dairy, all components of the subsector recorded output losses.
Production in the fisheries subsector declined by 2.93 percent, as output gains among milkfish, tilapia, skipjack and seaweed did not offset the losses incurred by the other species.
The PSA said farmgate prices also went up on the average by 4.93 percent during the reference quarter.
Price increments were recorded in all subsectors: crops at 1.59 percent, livestock at 14.06 percent, poultry at 1.58 percent and fisheries at 7.55 percent.
Prices received by farmers increased by an average of 4.17 percent from January to June 2017. (PNA)
