Agricultural Production for 2014 Exceeds Target

Despite the strings of strong typhoons that battered major agricultural crop areas of the country, last year’s palay production reached 19.07 million metric tons (MMT), higher than the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) target of 18.88 MMT and also higher than the previous year’s 18.4 MMT output, based on the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) recently released annual data on agricultural production for 2014.

Should the trend continue, the country may not need to import rice, except for the obligatory minimum access volume under the World Trade Organization, and also to allow flexible source of rice buffer for lean months, DA secretary Proceso J. Alcala announced during the anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Plant and Industry, an attached agency of the department.

Sought for reaction, Alcala said that the department is targeting 20.05 MMT of palay production for this year.

Asked whether the positive outlook for palay production for this year, including the obligatory MAV would be enough for the country’s need for the main staple, the DA chief replied in the affirmative, adding “unless the current supply of rice stocks at the National Food Authority’s (NFA) warehouses would warrant additional rice buffer.”

For the last quarter of 2014, palay production reached 7,560.87 MMT, compared with 7,079.13 of the same quarter in 2013, or a growth of 6.81 percent, based on a separate data provided by BAS.

BAS reported that agriculture expanded by 1.83 percent last year, saying “the sector’s growth was contributed by the production increments in the crops, livestock and poultry subsectors,” with gross earnings amounting to P1. 6 trillion at current prices or 9.71 percent higher than the previous year’s earnings.

The crops subsector which shared 51.71 percent in total agricultural production grew by 3.25 percent during the year, with palay production going up by 2.87 percent and that of corn, by 5.33 percent.

“Notable gains were also recorded for sugarcane, mango, tobacco, cassava and onion,” BAS said, adding that at current prices, “the subsector’s gross value of output amounted to P933.7 million. This was 14.52 percent more than the 2013 level.”

Livestock production also increased by 1.02 percent, contributing 16.10 percent to total agricultural output, with gross value of production amounted to P247.1 billion, at current prices, a 5.60 percent improvement from the previous year’s earnings.

The poultry subsector, despite being hit by Typhoon Glenda last year, inched up by 0.27 percent, sharing 14.54 percent to the total agricultural production, with chicken, duck and duck egg as main sources of growth. At current prices, the subsector grossed P189.7 billion which was 7.84 percent higher than the 2013 level.

However, the fisheries production continued its decline, and last year by 0.15 percent, and accounting for 17.65 percent of total agricultural output.

In terms of value, the agricultural sector grossed P1.6 trillion at current prices or 9.71 percent more than last year’s gross receipts. This was contributed by the positive performances of most commodities from the crops, livestock and poultry subsectors. (Alladin S. Diega, Media ng Bayan/OpCen)

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