PHILIPPINE agricultural and fisheries production rebounded in the second quarter, expanding by 2.9 percent to P452.22 billion as all major subsectors posted growth, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In a report released Thursday, the PSA said the value of agriculture and fisheries production rose from P439.66 billion in the same period last year.
The second-quarter expansion reversed the 0.3-percent contraction recorded in the first quarter, when production was valued at P437.52 billion.
Crops remained the largest contributor to overall agricultural output, accounting for 55 percent of total production. Its output value increased 1.6 percent to P248.9 billion during the April-to-June period.
Palay, or unmilled rice, remained the primary driver of growth in the crops subsector, with production value increasing 5.7 percent. Corn production also grew, although at a slower rate of 0.8 percent.
Livestock production rose 3.6 percent to P61.83 billion, representing 13.7 percent of total agricultural output during the quarter. Hog production increased 5.6 percent from a year earlier.
Poultry recorded the fastest growth among the major subsectors, with its production value climbing 6.3 percent to P79.84 billion. It accounted for 17.7 percent of total agricultural production.
Fisheries production also posted growth, increasing 2.7 percent to P61.64 billion and contributing 13.6 percent to overall agricultural output.
The broad-based expansion across crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries marked a recovery for the agriculture sector following its contraction in the first quarter. (Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
