Agri sector posts 0.5% Q2 growth

AGRICULTURE recorded a 0.5-percent growth based on a Philippine Statistics Authority report for the second quarter (Q2) performance of the economy, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

This was disclosed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar during

Thursday’s episode of “Network Briefing News” on Radyo Pilipinas hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar.

“Although Covid- 19 ( coronavirus disease 2019) has affected the agriculture sector, we still managed to garner positive growth. That’s why we are grateful to the continuous efforts of our farmers and fisherfolk in providing sufficient food during the pandemic,” Dar said.

If not for the Covid- 19, according to the DA secretary, the agriculture sector might have generated a much higher percentage of growth.

“About 17 percent of the farmers and fisherfolk were not able to plant and fish, respectively, and 35 percent of the farmers were not able to market their products because of the virus,” he said.

Dar added that the DA targets to increase growth level in the agriculture sector in the last two quarters of the year.

“To help and support our farmers and fisherfolk at this time, we have an ongoing Expanded SURE (Survival and Recovery) Aid and Recovery Project ,which offers up to a P25,000 loan with zero interest, no collaterals and payable in 10 years,” he said.

Under the same program, micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs may also borrow P300,000 to P10 million without interest, payable in five years.

Dar said he was appealing for an additional P3-billion fund for the SURE Covid-19 financing program on top of the initial P17 billion allocation of the national government under the Bayanihan Part 2 to help more eligible borrowers avail of the program.