PH agri output contracts 3.1% in first quarter
The Philippines opened 2022 with a contraction in the agricultural output, dragged mainly by the reduction in crops, livestock, and fisheries, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) yesterday showed.
The first-quarter value of production in agriculture and fisheries at constant 2018 prices shrank by 0.3%, compared with the 3.4% decline the same quarter of 2021 and the 2.6% growth in the last quarter of 2021 — the only quarter of growth for the year.
The crops subsector fell by 1.6%, led by the decline in tobacco which shrank by 24.1%. This was followed by sugarcane which dropped by 10.1%, cabbage by 7.3%, tomato by 6.1%, and coffee by 3.9%.
Declines were also seen in palay, corn, banana, cassava, rubber, sweet potato, tomato, and calamansi. Growth was recorded in coconut, pineapple, onion, eggplant, abaca, potato, ampalaya, mongo, cacao, and other crops.
Livestock slipped by 1.0%, as contractions were seen in hog, cattle, and goat, while carabao and dairy expanded.
Fisheries declined by 5.8%, led by mudcrab (alimango) which fell by 24.8%, followed by skipjack (gulyasan) by 20.2%, fimbriated sardines (tunsoy) by 13.5%, milkfish (bangus) by 12.7%, and tiger prawn (sugpo) by 11.3%.
The only subsector which posted growth was poultry which climbed by 12.3%, as chicken increased by 13.0%, chicken eggs by 12.4%, and duck eggs by 11.8%. Duck production fell by 21.5%.
The value of production in agriculture and fisheries stood at P498.61 billion at current prices, equivalent to 2.1% higher than the previous year’s level.