Agri output sustains growth in Q3

The Philippines’ agriculture and fisheries output grew by 2.8 percent in the third quarter, as stronger crop and poultry production kept the country on track to achieve higher growth this year compared to last year’s contraction.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday, Nov. 6, showed that the value of agriculture and fisheries production, at constant 2018 prices, amounted to P408.94 billion from July to September.

This marks the third consecutive quarter that agriculture and fisheries production posted growth, reversing three straight quarters of decline in 2024.

In the third quarter of last year, agricultural output contracted by 3.7 percent year-on-year, with a value of 397.43 billion, due to lower production caused by El Niño and La Niña phenomena.

The PSA said the 2.8-percent growth in the July-to-September period was driven by increases in the value of crops and poultry production.

Crops, which accounted for more than half of total agricultural output, posted a three-percent growth to P218 billion from last year’s 211.62 billion.

The value of palay production, which accounts for 20 percent of total crop output, expanded by 12.6 percent compared to the previous year.