Agriculture contracted by 0.37 percent in the second quarter of 2015. The downturn was traced to the intense heat during the quarter which negatively affected the performance of the crops and fisheries subsectors. Output increases, however, were noted for the livestock and poultry subsectors. At current prices, agriculture grossed P372.4 billion. This was 5.21 percent lower than last year’s earnings. For the period, January to June 2015, agriculture posted a cumulative growth of 0.73 percent.

 

The crops subsector which shared 49.80 percent in the total agricultural production recorded a 3.05 percent decrease in output. The intense heat that prevailed during the period pulled down production of palay and corn by 2.88 percent and 15.76 percent, respectively. Hot weather conditions enhanced the production performance of pineapple, mango, abaca, mongo, camote, cassava, cabbage and garlic. The subsector’s gross value of output amounted to P200.4 billion at current prices or 9.64 percent less than last year’s level. Gross output of the crops subsector for the first half of 2015 went down by 0.54 percent.

 

Production of the livestock subsector expanded by 5.20 percent in the second quarter of 2015. The subsector contributed 16.24 percent to total agricultural output. Hog production increased by 5.60 percent during the quarter. Other livestock components indicated output increments except for carabao. At current prices, the subsector’s gross receipts amounted to P62.2 billion. This represented a 1.59 percent increment from last year’s record. In the first half of the year, livestock production increased by 4.25 percent.

 

The poultry subsector with its 15.18 percent contribution to total agricultural production grew by 4.71 percent. All the subsector’s components registered output increments. Chicken boosted the subsector’s performance in the second quarter of the year by posting a 5.08 percent growth in production. The subsector’s gross earnings amounted to P45.8 billion at current prices or a decline of 0.89 percent from last year’s earnings. In the first half of 2015, gross output of the subsector went up by 5.03 percent.

 

The fisheries subsector registered a 1.53 percent decline in output in the second quarter of the year. It shared 18.79 percent in total agricultural production. Affected by intense heat during the quarter and posted output reductions were milkfish, tilapia, roundscad and skipjack. The subsector’s gross earnings reached P64.0 billion at current prices or 0.56 percent higher than last year’s record. In the first half of the year, gross output of the subsector declined by 2.12 percent.

 

On the average, prices received by farmers went down by 4.86 percent compared to last year’s quotations. Prices in the crops, livestock and poultry subsectors were quoted lower than their year ago levels. Average farmgate prices in the fisheries subsector increased by 2.12 percent. In the first half of 2015, average farmgate prices dropped by 4.14 percent.