QUEZON CITY -- While the production of palay and poultry posted positive gains, it was not enough to pull up the performance of the country's agriculture and fishery sector in the third quarter (Q3) of 2021.
The value of the country's agriculture and fisheries production, at constant 2018 prices, dipped by -2 6 percent (%) in Q3 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
This was mainly due to the drop in the values of livestock and fisheries products during the same three-month period in 2020, the PSA said.
"Despite said performance of the agri-fishery sector in the third quarter, we are heartened that palay production has remained on track, increasing its value by 6.7 percent," said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
"Further, our broiler raisers, and chicken and duck egg producers are taking the cudgel, as the value of poultry production grew by 1.3 percent, while chicken and duck egg output increased by 8.1 percent and 7 percent, respectively, based on PSA estimates," the DA chief added.
As for the livestock sub-sector, it posted a -15.2 percent decrease in value of production, weighed down by the hog industry's 17.8-percent negative performance due to the continuing scourge of the African Swine Fever (ASF) pandemic.
Palay production for the first nine months of the year is expected to reach 12.53 million metric tons (MMT), combining the first semester 2021 output of 8.8 MMT and projected Q3 harvest of 3.73 MMT, based on standing crops in August, as per PSA.
Said projected harvest for Q3 2021 is 5% more than the palay production, at 11.9 MMT, for the same nine-month period last year.
Meanwhile, increasing the country's corn production continues to be a big challenge, said secretary Dar, as the projected 6.28-MMT harvest for the nine-month period, combining the actual first semester harvest and estimated yield in Q3, is three percent less than in 2020, at 6.47 MMT.
"Overall, we expect a better performance this fourth quarter, barring no major typhoons would visit us till yearend," Secretary Dar said.
"Finally, we hope to post at least a one-percent growth this year, despite the many challenges we faced, and look forward to a more respectable performance in 2022, in continued partnerships with the local government units, the private sector, and organized small farmers' and fishers' groups and cooperatives," the DA chief added.
“Kami po sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka ay naniniwala na patuloy tayong makakabangon sa mga pagsubok nitong natitirang dalawang buwan at sa susunod na bagong taon. Magagawa po natin ito sa ating patuloy na pagtutulungan, at patnubay ng ating Poong Maykapal," Secretary Dar concluded. (DA StratComms)
