Agriculture grew by 4.10 percent in the first quarter of 2011. Production in the crops sub sector was up by 8.19 percent and the main contributors were palay, corn, sugarcane and banana. There was a slow down in the livestock sub sector while poultry production sustained it's upward trend. Fisheries production declined. At current prices, the gross value of agricultural output amounted to P 347.2 billion or 12.72% more than last year's record.
The crops sub sector which contributed 52.99 percent to total agricultural output expanded by 8.19 percent. Production of palay and corn increased by 15.63 percent and 19.50 percent, respectively. Sugarcane production grew by 26.73 percent. Improved production performances were also re ores for banana, cassava, cabbage and rubber. The sub sector grossed P 206.1 billion at current prices and recorded a 26.69 percent from 2010 level.
Livestock production recorded a 0.59 percent growth. The sub sector accounted for 15.19% of the total agricultural production. Hog production inched up by 0.64 percent. The gross value of livestock production was P 49.7 billion at current prices. This represented a 3.04 percent reduction from last year's record.
Poultry sub sector posted a 3.92 percent output increment this quarter. It shared 13.30 percent in total agricultural production. Chicken production grew by 3.77 percent. At current prices, the subsector grossed P 39.0 billion, down by 4.35 percent from the 2010 level.
Fisheries declined by 3.49 percent It accounted for 18.53 percent of total agricultural production. Aquaculture grew by 4.96 percent. Commercial and municipal fisheries production were down by 19.56 percent and 3.22 percent, respectively. The sub sector grossed P 52.4 billion at current prices which was 1.67 percent lower than last year's record. as sardine industry did not catch fish for canning from November 2010 to February 2011 because they noted over fishing in Southern Philippines.
On the average, farm gate prices increased by 8.29 percent this year. Average price increment was highest in the crops sub sector at 17.10 percent. In the fisheries sub sector, average price increase was 1.89 percent. Prices of livestock products went down by an average of 3.61 percent and those of poultry products by 7.96 percent.
