DESPITE storms that hit the farm sector this month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is optimistic that agricultural output in the fourth quarter would expand by at least 2.5 percent, sustaining its nearly 3-percent growth in the previous quarter.
In a statement recently, the DA remained firm on its projection that the farm sector would grow from 2.5 percent to 3 percent in the October-to-December period.
The country’s agricultural output in the fourth quarter of 2018 rose 1.8 percent.
“We are hopeful that favorable conditions were sustained in the fourth quarter, allowing us to attain a full-year growth target of at least 2 percent,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.
The farm sector grew by only 0.64 percent in the first quarter and then contracted by 1.23 percent in the second quarter due to El Niño, the DA said. Dar is cognizant that he faced “major challenges,” which could have been detrimental to the farm sector’s growth, right after he assumed office in August.
Among these issues are the plunge in palay and copra prices, high retail price of rice, spread of African swine fever (ASF) and the series of typhoons.
“Our prompt implementation of decisive measures to arrest the falling prices of palay, as well as the imposition of strict biosecurity and quarantine measures to manage, control and contain ASF were the key factors in upturning the crops and hog subsectors, respectively,” Dar said.
The DA said early warning announcements helped farmers cut their losses from typhoons. For one, the DA pointed out, the sector was able to save P12 billion worth of crops in Luzon and VIsayas due to early preparations made by the department and local government units prior to Typhoon Tisoy’s landfall.
This included P11.6 billion worth of palay harvested from 157,000 hectares and P109 million worth of corn crops planted on 2,000 hectares, the DA added.
“The Department of Agriculture was able to meet head-on and temper the effects of both man-made and natural calamities through the strong cooperation with LGUs, agri-fishery industry leaders, the academe, farmers’ and fishers’ groups, and with the full support of President Duterte, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, and colleagues in the Cabinet, particularly the economic development cluster,” the DA chief said.
“We remained firm and focused on our vision of a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fishers, advocating our battle cry: ‘Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita’[Bountiful harvest, high incomes],” he added.