PAGLAGO NG AGRI SECTOR BUMAGAL DAHIL SA MGA BAGYO

NAGPOSTE ng maliit na 2.5 porsiyentong paglago ang sektor ng agrikultura sa bansa kumpara sa 4 porsiyento noong nakaraang taon, ayon sa Department of Agriculture (DA).

Sinabi ni Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol na ito ay dahil sa pananalasa ng ilang bagyo sa bansa, lalo na ang bagyong Ompong,  na nagdulot ng P132 bilyong halaga ng pinsala sa farm sector noong Setyembre.

Mula Enero hanggang Setyembre 2018, ang total volume ng production sa agriculture at fisheries sector ay lumago ng 0.15 percent.

Ayon kay Piñol, ang pagtaas ay dahil sa livestock at poultry subsectors, na nagtala ng 2.15 percent at 5.45 percent growth, ayon sa pagkakasunod.

Gayunman, naiposte ang pagbaba sa crops at fisheries subsectors sa 3.64 percent at 2.64 percent, ayon sa pagkakasunod.

“The growth in the livestock subsector can be attributed to the increase in hog, cattle, goat and dairy production as a result of the sustained demand for meat processing and low mortality ratio due to efficient control of diseases,” anang kalihim.

Ang carabao production lamang ang bumagsak ng 1.63 percent.

Samantala, ang pagtaas sa chicken, chicken egg at duck egg production ang nagdala ng positibong paglago sa poultry subsector. Ito ay dahil sa pagtaas sa farm capacity ng ilang traditional poultry farms na ginawang tunnel vent type farms at sa paglaki ng ilang broiler farms.

“The increase in chicken and duck egg production was driven by the expansion of commercial layer farms in Min­danao, the opening of new layer farms in Luzon and the sustained demand for ‘balut’,” sabi pa ni Piñol.

Gayunman ay bumaba ang duck production dahil sa reduced outflow ng  Peking ducks at decreased culling sa Mindanao.

Sinabi pa ni Piñol na ang pagbaba sa crops’ subsector ay sanhi ng pagbagsak ng produksiyon ng staple crops na palay at mais, ng 5.70 percent at 14.83 percent, ayon sa pagkakasunod.

“This can be attributed to the damages brought by typhoons Henry, Inday, Josie, and Ompong;  delayed planting due to the on-going rehabilitation of irrigation facilities and late release of irrigation water in Northern Luzon; and, the delay in the planting season caused by the late rainfall in some parts of the country,” dagdag pa niya.

Gayunman ay naitala ang output gains sa produksiyon ng high-value crops tulad ng coconut, sugarcane, banana, pineapple, coffee, mango, tobacco, abaca, tomato at rubber.

Isinisi naman ng DA  sa pagbagsak ng fisheries subsector ang pagbaba ng produksiyon ng milkfish, tiger prawn, round scad at yellowfin tuna.

“Some of the factors that contributed to the decrease in the volume of production include the limited supply of fingerlings and the use of inferior quality fingerlings that resulted in smaller sizes of harvested milkfish; the hesitation of fish pen operators to place stocks because of possible demolition of fish pens by the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA); the fish kill in Central Luzon last May; the occurrence of white spots disease caused by water pollution in Northern Mindanao; and, the reduced number of fishing days and trips due to strong winds and rough seas caused by weather disturbances,” sabi pa ni Piñol.