Agriculture output growth slows to 2.8% as livestock, fisheries drag

Agricultural output growth slowed to 2.8% year-on-year by value in the third quarter, with strong crop production helping offset significant drops in livestock and fisheries production, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

The PSA said the value of agriculture and fisheries production rose 2.8% in the three months to September to P408.94 billion, following a contraction of 3.6% contraction in the same period last year. Compared to the second quarter, growth slowed from 5.7%/

“This growth was driven by the increases in the value of crop and poultry production. However, the value of livestock and fisheries production contracted during the period,” the PSA said.

Analysts and farm groups earlier projected a decline or slowdown in output growth driven by a decrease in fisheries and livestock outputs due to weather disturbances and the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).

Crop output, which accounted for 53.3% of the total value of agricultural production, grew 3.0% to P218 billion in the third quarter.

Palay (unmilled rice) production rose 12.6%, while corn and coconut registered declines of 2.9% and 2.1%, respectively.

Crops that posted double-digit increases by value included onion (77.3%), potato (47.8%), sugarcane (42.0%), coffee (25.9%), monggo (16.9%), tobacco (15.7%), and cabbage (13.3%).

On the other hand, the value of production contracted for abaca (15.4%) and sweet potato (11.4%).

The PSA reported that poultry grew 10.6% year-on-year to P75.96 billion in the third quarter, accounting for 18.6% of total farm production.

Chicken production posted a gain of 12.4% by value, while chicken eggs and duck posted 7.7% and 0.6% growth, respectively.

Duck eggs, on the other hand, declined 4.3% during the quarter.

Livestock, fisheries outputs slip

Meanwhile, the value of livestock production posted a year-on-year decline of 1.9% in the third quarter. The subsector accounted for P60.51 billion or 14.8% of the total value of agricultural production.

Dairy was the lone bright spot in livestock, posting a 34.7% improvement.

Carabao and goat recorded the biggest decrease in production value at 9.0% and 7.7%, respectively.

Cattle and hog production slumped in the third quarter by 2.7% and 1.4%, respectively.

Meanwhile, fisheries production fell 2.7% to P54.47 billion in the third quarter, accounting for 13.3% of total output.

Double-digit declines were seen for cavalla (talakitok, 20.3%), Bali sardinella (tamban, 13.3%), tiger prawn (sugpo, 11.6%), and P. Vannamei (10.8%).

The value of seaweed production dropped 15.7% in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, double-digit growth was posted by bigeye tuna (tambakol/bariles, 52.8%), squid (22.6%), and skipjack (gulyasan, 15.9%). — Vonn Andrei Villamiel