Agri output down 3.3% in Q2 —PSA
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The Philippines’ agriculture production saw a decline in the second quarter of 2024 amid the adverse impact of El Niño phenomenon on the crop sector and the lingering African Swine Fever (ASF) which continues to affect the local hog production.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday that the value of agriculture and fisheries production in the April to June period declined by 3.3% to P413.91 billion from P427.9 billion in the same period last year.
In a separate statement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the country’s agriculture sector “demonstrated resilience, bolstered by strategic interventions from the DA.”
The DA said the decline was mitigated by expansions in the poultry and fishery subsectors, as well as the growing resilience of the livestock sector in the face of the lingering ASF outbreak.
In particular, the country’s poultry subsector experienced a robust growth of 8.7%, reaching P70.15 billion, while the fisheries sector saw a 2.2% increase, totaling P60.40 billion.
The subsectors contributed significantly to the overall agricultural output, offsetting the 8.6% drop in crop production —the largest segment, accounting for 53.2% of the total value.
The value of rice and corn output declined by 9.5% and 20.3%, respectively.
The livestock sector, which constitutes around 15.3% of total production, showed stability with only a slight contraction of 0.3%, bringing its value to P63.33 billion.
This stability was partly due to the resilience in swine production, which saw only a minimal 0.2% decline despite ongoing ASF challenges affecting several provinces.
In response to the El Niño-induced challenges, the DA said it has launched several key initiatives to support the agricultural sector.
“These measures include P14.54 billion allocated for Rice Farmers Financial Assistance, production support, farmer indemnification, and loan provisions,” it said.
“Additionally, the DA has earmarked P350 million for ASF vaccine procurement, pending Food and Drug Administration approval, and continues to promote biosecurity measures to control the spread of ASF,” it added.
The Agriculture Department said its proactive approach aims to mitigate the impact of adverse weather conditions and strengthen the sector's capacity to rebound.
“The support measures are designed to enhance productivity and support farmers, demonstrating the DA’s commitment to sustaining agricultural growth and stability despite external challenges,” it said. --VAL, GMA Integrated News
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