August 18, 2010

Philippine aquaculture output rise amid drought

Despite a drought-hit crop production in the first half of this year, a positive light is seen in the aquaculture sector, with output rising by 2.7%.

Fisheries, which contributed 28.2% of total farm output, also dropped 0.1%. The 5.0% and 1.6% contraction in commercial and municipal fisheries, respectively, more than offset the 2.7% gain in aquaculture production.

The slump in the crops and fisheries sub-sectors, which are the two biggest components of the agriculture sector, overshadowed the marginal gains in the livestock and poultry sub-sectors.

Poultry, which comprised 14.7% of total farm output, eked out a 2.6% gain in the first six months of this year. While chicken meat and egg production increased by 2.3% and 5.7%, respectively.

Livestock, which accounted for the remaining 12.3% of the agriculture economy, posted a 2.1% increment in production. Dairy output grew by 17.4%, while pig production increased 1.6%.

On average, farm-gate prices increased by 4.5% from last year. The livestock sub-sector posted the biggest price hike at 10.0%, while poultry prices went up by 7.2%.  Farm-gate prices of crops and fisheries increased by 4.2 and 0.9%, respectively.

Meanwhile, farm output contracted in the first half of this year as the prolonged dry spell cut crop-sector output, raising the prospect of additional imports of the country's main staple later this year, according to reports.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary Proceso Alcala said the country's agriculture output, which makes up one-fifth of the country's economy, fell 2.6% in the period January-June 2010.

Of the four sub-sectors, crops-which contributed 44.8% of total farm output-registered the biggest production slump of 6.7%, as corn output dropped by 25.0%.