Mixed growth results for agriculture sector seen

MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap expects the growth results for the first quarter to be mixed due to the uncertain weather pattern and recent events that are impacting food production.

Yap noted that due to the uncertain weather pattern and recent events “some commodities show some gain while some show negative.”

Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Paras said preliminary reports show that typhoon Crising damaged P300 million worth of various crops in the Bicol region.

Yap did not specify which commodities are performing poorly and which are doing well. He said planting continues for some commodities were able to harvest early.

The agri head said some commodities may post negative growth “because their planting schedules have changed. Some farmers have deferred from their schedule last year.”

First quarter growth figures for the agriculture sector are expected to be announced next week.

For the whole of this year, the DA is hoping to achieve a growth of at least four percent, matching 2008’s growth of 3.92 percent.

However, the unpredictable weather is now making it more difficult for farmers to time when to plant and harvest their crop.

Likewise, recent events such as the outbreak of the so-called swine flu is expected to impact negatively on hog production which contributes substantially to total farm output.

Even the fisheries sector, which has been the farm sector’s growth driver in the past few years may be adversely affected by the unpredictable weather pattern.

This year, the rainy season has come in about two months early in April instead of the traditional June month. –Marianne V. Go, Philippine Star