By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
The agriculture sector is said to have recovered from previous very poor performances during the last several years. The sector grew by about 5.28 percent during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year.
Let us hear the report from the Philippine Statistics Authority: “All subsectors posted output increments with the crops subsector as the major growth driver during the period (Jan.-Mar. 2017). At current prices, gross value of agricultural production amounted to P407.6 billion. This was 8.79 percent higher than the previous year’s record. Production in the crops subsector went up by 8.28 percent during the reference quarter. It contributed 53.66 percent to the total agricultural production. Outputs in palay and corn farms increased by 12.38 percent and 23.44 percent, respectively. Production gains were also noted among sugarcane, banana, pineapple, tobacco, peanut, mongo, cassava, tomato, garlic, onion, eggplant and rubber. At current prices, the subsector grossed P233.5 billion which was 10.45 percent more than last year’s gross receipts”
The PSA report also show that the livestock subsector posted a 3.22 percent growth in output in the first three (3) months of 2017 while that of the poultry subsector with its 15.35 percent contribution to total agricultural production came up with 1.88 percent increment in the first quarter of 2017. The fisheries subsector likewise produced 0.73 percent more during the period translating to about 14.15 percent to total agricultural output.
The more than average performance was attributed to several factors such as availability of water in irrigated farms and sufficiency of rainfall in both rainfed and upland farms resulting to increased area harvested in most regions. The use of high yielding varieties in most regions was also noted to result in higher yields, especially on rice. In addition, proper fertilizer application and favorable weather conditions raised production of palay during the first quarter of the year. The push of the regional DA field offices for the use of hybrids by farmers appear to be contributory to such positive performance.
It seems that the agriculture sector is really on the rebound after all those calamities that beset the country during the height of production season.
The above positive performance however, was mainly applicable to other regions of the country. What about the Cordillera region? The PSA report was not clear about regional agricultural performances. It’s report though suggest that the region is not yet fully recovered. CAR produces around 77 per cent of the cabbage output in the country. The report plainly show that cabbage production had declined during the period indicating that the region is still reeling from the onslaught of several typhoons, especially Lawin, towards or during the 4th quarter of last year. It was surmised though that the drop in cabbage output was due to shift in producing other vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage due to a better price.
Passing through the Halsema highway recently, it is very obvious that Cordillera agriculture is still suffering due to slow rehabilitation of infrastructures destroyed last year, and even previous years. Something has to be done quickly.
There were no relevant data on the production of other leading cool season vegetables such as potato, carrot, and leafy vegetables. I just hope that the outlook for the other important crops in the Cordillera was also as bright.
In a recent brief, chance chat with Dr. Caranguian, the DA-CAR Regional director, he was detailing his plans for CAR, especially the improvement of the vegetable industry. He is using the exemplary model that they did in region 2 for other crops. He was talking about concrete plans on how to make research very relevant to production, and how farmers could earn more. I find his pronouncements in accord to what we need in CAR at the moment.
The agriculture performance is also affected by the continued smuggling of vegetables such as onion and garlic, not to mention rice. About a week ago, Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate agriculture committee, did not hide her displeasure about the inaction of DOJ and DA on their failure to file charges against cartels of crops suspected of smuggling (garlic, onion, rice, etc). Her committee found some importers culpable of smuggling. She made the necessary recommendations but nothing concrete was done. It appears that the smugglers are really well-entrenched in high levels. Woe to farmers. Even if they follow all the best agricultural practices, and increase their production, it is negated by the senseless practitioners of wrongdoings.
The good senator had gotten tired of always reminding the DOJ and DA to file the relevant charges. According to her, cartels make a lot of money, so they will do everything to prevent our farmers from producing garlic, for example. They are influencing policies of government to prevent the farmers from producing more competitively.
If the senator is already getting tired of trying to remedy the situation, whom and where will the farmers turn for a just help?**
