Philippines' agricultural production growth slows to 1.5% in first nine months
Philippines' agricultural production growth slows to 1.5% in first nine months
The Philippines' agricultural production growth slowed to 1.5% in the January-to-September period from a year earlier, the Department of Agriculture said Monday, as recent strong typhoons caused severe damage to crops and infrastructure and led to poor harvests.
Agricultural officials said Philippine farm output in the third quarter of this year rose 1.55% year on year, slower than the 3.25% growth in the same period a year earlier. The strong typhoons have made it difficult for the Department of Agriculture to achieve its earlier full-year 2009 growth target of 3%. Because of the severe damage from the typhoons, full-year growth may not even reach 1.5%.
In the first nine months of this year, Philippine rice production rose 2.9% to 10.89 million tons, while corn production rose 0.76% to 5.59 million tons.
Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of the Philippines' gross domestic product, but employs nearly four-tenths of the workforce. Rice is the Philippines' main staple food, accounting for about 19% of the country's total agricultural production.
The losses caused by the typhoons to crops and agricultural infrastructure are estimated at as much as 24 billion pesos.
Agricultural officials said Philippine farm output in the third quarter of this year rose 1.55% year on year, slower than the 3.25% growth in the same period a year earlier. The strong typhoons have made it difficult for the Department of Agriculture to achieve its earlier full-year 2009 growth target of 3%. Because of the severe damage from the typhoons, full-year growth may not even reach 1.5%.
In the first nine months of this year, Philippine rice production rose 2.9% to 10.89 million tons, while corn production rose 0.76% to 5.59 million tons.
Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of the Philippines' gross domestic product, but employs nearly four-tenths of the workforce. Rice is the Philippines' main staple food, accounting for about 19% of the country's total agricultural production.
The losses caused by the typhoons to crops and agricultural infrastructure are estimated at as much as 24 billion pesos.