Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the improved first-quarter performance of the farm sector, expressing confidence that favorable weather conditions and the intensified interventions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) will lead to better incomes for farmers and fisherfolk.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported a 1.9 percent growth in the value of agriculture and fisheries during the first quarter, driven by gains in crops, poultry, and fisheries.
The first quarter growth was an improvement from the 1.6 percent contraction in 2024 overall and the 1.8 percent decline in the fourth quarter.
“We are optimistic that the recovery in the first quarter signals momentum for the latter half of the year—especially as we bring new infrastructure online such as cold storage facilities and rice processing systems,” Tiu Laurel said.
“Hopefully, we could also begin later this year the commercial roll out of the long-awaited vaccine for African Swine Fever.”
“Hopefully, we could also begin later this year the commercial roll out of the long-awaited vaccine for African Swine Fever, which will help kickstart the DA’s large-scale hog repopulation effort,” the agriculture chief added.
By boosting agricultural production, the government aims to stabilize food supply and prices while managing inflation. The continued decrease of rice prices and slower increases in vegetable, fruit, and poultry prices helped tame inflation in April to 1.4 percent, its lowest level since November 2019.
The value of crop production, which includes rice, rose by 1 percent in the first quarter to ₱249.61 billion. Poultry increased by 9.4 percent to ₱75.22 billion, while fisheries grew by 1.5 percent to ₱55.10 billion.
However, livestock declined by 2.8 percent to ₱57.82 billion, with the swine industry still grappling with the effects of African Swine Fever (ASF).
Palay production yield in the first quarter reached a new record high of 4.09 metric tons per hectare.
Palay production in the first quarter increased to 4.7 million metric tons from 4.69 million metric tons last year, with yield reaching a new record high of 4.09 metric tons per hectare, compensating for the decrease in rice-planted areas. The first-quarter yield of 4.09 metric tons per hectare is the highest recorded since the series began in 1987.
This year, the Department of Agriculture aims for a record palay output of 20.46 million metric tons.
