CROP LOSS A farmer crops rice in Balagtas, Bulacan. Successive typhoons that hit crop-production areas contributed to the decline in complete agricultural output in 2024. —inquirer file picture
MANILA, Philippines — The El Niño phenomenon, spate of typhoons and the prevalence of animal ailments mixed to convey down the output of the nation’s agriculture sector by 2.2 p.c in 2024.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that within the fourth quarter of final yr alone, the worth of agriculture and fisheries manufacturing declined to P483.58 billion from P494.25 billion in the identical interval the earlier yr.
This marked the third straight quarter of contraction in 2024 following a meager enhance within the first quarter of final yr, resulting in the general 2.2-percent decline within the important sector’s output in 2024.
READ: Native agriculture sector upbeat even within the aftermath of ‘good storm’
Over the previous six years, the agriculture sector posted annual manufacturing declines besides in 2023, when it managed to eke out a slim achieve.
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In 2019, output dipped by 0.25 p.c; in 2020, 1.2 p.c; 2021, 1.7 p.c after which 0.1 p.c in 2022.
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Final yr, the crops sector, which accounted for 55.7 p.c of total output, posted a hefty decline of 4.2 p.c.
The livestock sector, which contributed 14.6 p.c, additionally noticed its output decline by a barely greater 4.3 p.c final yr. Fisheries, in the meantime, was down 1.1 p.c.
Solely the poultry sector yielded a notable output enhance final yr of 6.6 p.c.
Crop injury
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa primarily attributed the efficiency of the agriculture sector final yr to the substantial injury attributable to pure calamities and the El Niño climate phenomenon that’s characterised by hotter temperatures and decreased rainfall.
“The first purpose is the injury [sustained by the sector] from El Niño, sequence of typhoons, La Niña … pests and ailments, volcanic eruption and different climate methods,” mentioned De Mesa, additionally the spokesperson for the Division of Agriculture (DA).
The farm sector alone suffered P57.78 billion in injury in 2024, surging by 136.4 p.c from P24.44 billion a yr prior, primarily based on information from the DA’s Catastrophe Danger Discount and Administration Operations Heart.
“If I have a look at the information, this is likely one of the largest losses recorded within the sector,” De Mesa mentioned. “This is likely one of the largest damages recorded for a given yr in our sector.”
This affected greater than 1.4 million farmers and fishers nationwide final yr.
The amount of manufacturing loss was pegged at 2.19 million metric tons overlaying nearly 1 million hectares.
Of the overall injury, El Niño, characterised by dry climate and decreased rainfall, was blamed for P15.66 billion in manufacturing loss or 27.1 p.c of the overall injury.
The mixed results of Extreme Tropical Storm “Kristine” and Hurricane “Leon,” however, worn out P13.47 billion value of native produce. Moreover, Typhoons “Nika,” “Ofel” and “Pepito” brought on P9.9 billion in injury.
Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) Nationwide Supervisor Raul Montemayor informed the Inquirer that the decline in manufacturing output was anticipated given the calamities and animal ailments.
“However it factors additionally to the dearth of resiliency of the sector. Gradual progress throughout regular occasions. However susceptible when calamities and disturbances come up,” Montemayor mentioned.
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FFF board chair Leonardo Montemayor added that he was “very dissatisfied and anxious as a result of it means farmers’ incomes doubtless declined and rural poverty incidence elevated.” INQ