THE prolonged dry spell, coupled with the damage caused by typhoons Lando and Nona, resulted in a 4.53-percent decrease in the country’s agricultural output in the first three months of the year, the latest report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
According to the PSA, the growth of the livestock and poultry industry was not able to offset the downturn in the performance of the crops and fisheries subsectors, which was caused by the damage brought about by the prolonged dry spell and the two typhoons that hit the country in late-2015.
“The crops subsector suffered the most from the effects of the dry spell, as manifested by the 8.55-percent drop in production during the period,” the report read.
The subsector has a 52.06-percent share in the country’s agricultural production.
Palay production during the first three months of the year declined by 9.97 percent to 3.93 million metric tons (MMT), from 4.37 MMT recorded in the same period in 2015.
The PSA said this can be traced back to the negative effects of Nona in the last quarter of 2015 and the occurrence of dry spell—particularly in Regions 2, 4B, 6 and 12—in the first quarter of the year. There were also reports of crop shifting from palay to sugarcane in Cagayan Valley.
Corn output also decreased during the January-to-March period, registering a 19.07-percent drop to 1.92 MMT from 2.37 last year.
The decline in corn production, particularly in Nueva Ecija, was due to the movement of harvest to the second quarter, with the delayed planting of white corn and the reported crop shifting to cassava and sugarcane. The insufficiency in water supply also prompted farmers to make areas for yellow corn lie fallow.
“In Maguindanao the harvest areas for corn were totally damaged and smaller corn cobs were developed due to prolonged dry spell. In Northern Mindanao and Soccsksargen provinces reduced planting was reported due to insufficient rainfall and rat infestation,” the report added.
The fisheries subsector, likewise, pulled down the country’s agricultural output in the first quarter of the year.
According to data from the PSA, the subsector, which accounted for 14.92 percent of the total agricultural output, contracted by 5.11 percent.
Lower production levels were noted for all major fish species.
Meanwhile, the local livestock subsector posted a 4.66-percent increase in output during the period. It ccounts for 17.18 percent of the total agricultural output.
Cattle and hog production both went up by 0.49 percent and 5.47 percent, respectively. High demand was attributed to the increase in the output of both sectors. Carabao production went down by 1.43 percent and goat production inched down by 0.15 percent.
The country’s poultry subsector also registered a growth of 1.01 percent. Duck, chicken-egg and duck-egg production all posted increases in output, while chicken production slightly decreased by 0.29 percent.
“Among the reasons cited [for the decrease in chicken production] were the notable delays in loading of day-old chicks in broiler farms in Ilocos Region and Central Luzon due to scare of New Castle Disease,” the report read.
Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley reported damage due to the New Castle Disease. The hot weather also contributed to the lower liveweight of chicken.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala earlier said the government will maintain its agricultural growth target of 3.5 percent despite the onslaught of the current El Niño episode. He said the advantage of the livestock sector, as well as the efforts of the government to pursue the hybridization of crops will drive the sector’s growth this year.
Alcala explained the Department of Agriculture’s hybridization program helped scale down the damage caused by El Niño.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes