NEDA: Farming, fishery sector in EV maintains growth in Q3
TACLOBAN CITY—The farming and fishery sector in Eastern Visayas has maintained its growth during the third quarter of the year with high root crops and fish output balancing the decline in palay production, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported.
Citing report from the Bureau of Agriculture Statistics, NEDA regional director Buenaventura C. Go-Soco Jr. said that agriculture’s third quarter performance “may not have done well but it did not do bad either.”
With this scenario, he expects to sustain the 5% growth in this sector.
He explained that for rice, late harvesting and tungro affected palay production, which declined by 4.3% compared to the 3rd quarter of 2008 production. Tungro is a virus that mainly affects plants during vegetative growth and causes severe stunting and reduction in the number of tillers.
The Department of Agriculture, however, earlier said that tungro infestation is not alarming and generally not damaging.
“Coconut production was virtually steady, with a decline of only 0.4%. This decline is attributed to what agriculturist’s termed as fruiting fatigue which follows a cyclical pattern,” Go-Soco added.
Corn production was up a bit, by 6.9% but abaca production declined by 4.9%, he reported. Production of root crops was steady with sweet potato declining by 1.2%, but taro production increased by 1.8% and cassava production increased by 1%, the official said.
“The reduction in many crops may lead to the conclusion that agriculture did not do well in the third quarter. However, since coconut production experienced only a slight reduction, then it is safe to say that while the economic situation in the agriculture sector suffered some declines, on the whole it remained stable,” Go-Soco pointed out.
In fish production, the NEDA regional chief disclosed that commercial fishing had a decline of 18.7%, but aquaculture and municipal fishing increased by 12.3% and 12.4%, respectively. Overall, the fishery sector grew by 8.3%.
The decline in the third quarter commercial fishing output is attributed to the long duration of southwest monsoon winds that hindered fishing activities.
“There is still a quarter left in 2009. We can predict higher production due to higher consumer demand.”
He added that the fourth quarter is expected to show improved performance in the agriculture sector so that “2009 will not be a bad year for this sector after all.”
From July to September 2009, estimated value of fish production amounted to P3 billion, with Eastern Samar as top producer accounting for P994 million, or almost one-third of the regional value.
According to him, significant improvements were made in municipal fishing in Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Northern Samar.
“Economic difficulties experienced in crop production such as in copra production were largely overcome by these improvements in the fishery sector. With this performance, the agriculture and fishery sector can experience significant growth in 2009 better than initially expected, perhaps even up to a 5% growth,” he added. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO)
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