Farm output declines in Q3 — PSA

Metro Manila, Philippines — The value of production in agriculture and fisheries contracted by 3.7% to P397.43 billion in the third quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday, Nov. 6.

This was even lower than the 3.2% decline in the second quarter, and the largest drop since the negative 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2020, data from PSA showed.

The agency said crop output shrank 5.1% in the third quarter year-on-year, valued at P211.62 billion.

The PSA said palay was the biggest contributor to the decline as it registered a 12.3% annual decrease in production value.

"Undeniably, the combined effects of El Niño and La Niña weighed down palay production, a major contributor to the crop sector, which accounts for more than half of the value of agricultural and fisheries output," Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

Laurel said his agency is implementing changes to the rice cropping calendar and building infrastructure to mitigate climate change impact on the farming sector.

The hog subsector also posted an 8% slump. The Department of Agriculture began in August its controlled rollout of vaccines against African Swine Fever.