PH AGRI SECTOR LALAGO NG 2.5%-3%

INAASAHANG makapagtatala ang agriculture sector ng bansa ng growth rate na hanggang 3% sa fourth quarter ng taon sa kabila ng natural at man-made disasters.

Ayon kay Agriculture Secretary William Dar, ang Philippine agri-fishery sector ay inaasahang lumago ng mula 2.5% hanggang 3% sa huling tatlong buwan ng 2019, mas mataas sa 1.8% growth na naitala sa kaparehong panahon noong 2018.

“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%,” wika ni  Dar.

Sa kabila, aniya, ng minimal growth na 0.64% sa first quarter ng 2019 at ng pagbaba pa sa -1.23% sa second quarter dahil sa epekto ng El Niño phenomenon sa mga pananim, ang industriya ay nagposte ng faster-than-expected recovery na 2.87% sa third quarter.

Magmula noong August 2019, ang agri sector ay naharap sa matinding pagsubok, kabilang ang pagbagsak ng presyo ng palay at copra, mataas na retail price ng bigas, outbreak ng African Swine Fever (ASF), peste sa mais at mga bagyo na sumira sa major crops.

“Our prompt implementation of decisive measures to arrest falling prices of palay, as well as 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,” ani Dar.

Ang maagang warning announcements ay nakatulong din, aniya, para mabawasan ang mga pinsala mula sa mga bagyo.

Halimbawa, tinukoy niya na noong bagyong Tisoy, ang agriculture sector ay nakapagsalba ng P12-billion na halaga ng pananim sa Luzon at  Visayas dahil sa maagang paghahansa ng DA at ng local government units bago ang pagtama sa lupa ng bagyo.

Kinabilangan ito ng P11.6-billion na halaga ng palay na inani sa 157,000 hectares at P109-million halaga ng corn crops na tinanim sa 2,000 hectares.

“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 Rodrigo Roa Duterte, finance secretary Carlos Dominguez, and colleagues in the Cabinet, particularly the economic development cluster,” sabi pa ni Dar.

“We remained firm and focused on our vision of a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fishers, advocating our battlecry:  ‘Masaganang ani at mataas na kita’,” dagdag pa niya. PILIPINO Mirror Reportorial Team