Adverse weather and the lingering impact of African Swine Fever on hog production took a toll on agricultural output during the third quarter, with the value of production declining by 3.7 percent year-on-year to P397.43 billion.

The fisheries subsector also suffered from the adverse weather, with its value of production contracting by 5.5 percent year-on-year to P55.48 billion in the third quarter, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

“Undeniably, the combined effects of El Niño and La Niña weighed down palay production, a major contributor to the crop sector, which accounts for more than half of the value of agricultural and fisheries output,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr.

“We’re  implementing changes to the rice cropping calendar and building infrastructure like water impounding dams to mitigate the impact of climate change on the farming sector,” he added.

Despite this, Sec. Tiu Laurel pointed to some bright spots in the third-quarter data, including a 1.3 percent increase in the value of corn production and a 5.8 percent rise in poultry output. The value of poultry production reached ₱68.66 billion during the quarter.

The DA chief also highlighted efforts by the Bureau of Animal Industry, in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration, to develop an effective vaccine for African Swine Fever (ASF)—a disease that has devastated the hog industry since the first outbreak in 2019.

PSA data revealed that the value of palay production in the third quarter dropped by 12.3 percent year-on-year, which contributed to a 5.1 percent decline in overall crop output, totaling P211.62 billion. Meanwhile, hog production—a major contributor to the livestock subsector—declined by 8 percent, according to PSA data.

Crops accounted for 53 percent of the total value of production, while livestock contributed around 16 percent. The value of livestock output fell by 6.7 percent to ₱61.67 billion, PSA data showed. ###