QUEZON CITY -- Led by the crops, poultry, and fisheries subsectors, the value of the country’s agriculture and fishery production based on 2018 constant prices grew by 0.6 percent (%) during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The crops subsector, which contributed 59% to the total value of production, expanded by 2.6%, bannered by palay, corn, and other major crops like sugarcane, pineapple, coconut, banana, and mango.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, mobility restrictions, and losses due to Typhoon Odette in December 2021, totaĺ annual palay production registered an all-time high of 19.96 million metric tons (MMT), 3.4% more than the previous record of 19.29 MMT, based on PSA estimates.

“We would have easily breached the 20-million ton level as Typhoon Odette damaged more than 130,000 metric tons of palay,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

“Nonetheless, it shows that we are on the right track in our continuing efforts to increase the production of our major staples, in partnership with millions of our farmers, fishers, livestock and poultry raisers, local government units, private sector, and agri-fishery industry stakeholders,” he added.

“We have been relentless since we assumed office more than two years ago in August 2019 in pursuit of the Duterte administration’s food security goals. These include massive promotion among farmers, fishers, and entrepreneurs of relevant, efficient and sustainable technologies and innovations, and providing them needed capacities through technical, farm mechanization and consolidation, financial and marketing assistance,” the DA chief said.

Overall, we will remain focused in the implementation of our planned programs and projects in the remaining months of the Duterte administration, as we bequeath a solid foundation and legacy to the succeeding leadership,” Secretary Dar said.

Corn production also hit a record output of 8.3 MMT in 2021, 2.2% more than the 8.12 MMT yield in 2020, according to the PSA.

Other positive performers in terms of total volume of production in 2021 compared to 2020 are:

·         Sugarcane, up by 7.7%

·         Cacao, 7.1%

·         Pineapple, 5.8%

·         Rubber, 1.9%

·         Coconut, 1.6%

·         Banana, 0.4%

·         Mango, 0.3%

Poultry production, which accounted for 12.5% of total value of agriculture output, grew by 2.7% in Q4 2021, while chicken egg production increased by 12.7%, the PSA said.

Fisheries output also performed better, as value of production in Q4 2021 inched up by 1.4%. The subsector shared 14.6% total value of agri-fishery production during the period in review.

The livestock subsector that contributed 13.8% to total value of production, contracted again by -9.7% in Q4 2021, pulled down by the hog subsector, whose value dipped by -12.6%, due to ASF incidence, according to the PSA. (DA StratComms)