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According to FAS-USDA, Philippine agriculture contracted 4.53 percent in the first quarter of 2016 due to a prolonged dry spell and damages caused by typhoons in the later part of 2015. The crops subsector declined 8.55 percent during the period with rice and corn output shrinking 9.97 and 19.07 percent, respectively, from the previous year’s level. On the other hand, domestic livestock production expanded 4.66 percent while the local poultry industry grew 1.01 percent from their year ago levels. During the same period, the fisheries subsector contracted 5.11 percent. On the average, overall farmgate prices increased 3.19 percent in the first three months of 2016.
Livestock production continued to be the bright spot of Philippine agriculture expanding 4.66 percent during the same period, and accounted for 17.18 percent of Philippine farm output. Hog production grew 5.47 percent and more than compensated for the -1.43 and -0.15 percent decline in water buffalo and goat output. The local cattle and dairy industries slightly increased with gains of 0.49 and 0.78 percent, respectively.
Thursday May 19, 2016/ FAS-USDA/ United States.
http://gain.fas.usda.gov/
