The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said that overall farm gate prices increased by an average 4.5 per cent and all farm subsectors recorded positive growth in 2007.
Fisheries expanded the most (6.8 per cent) and contributed 25.4 per cent to total Philippine agricultural output last year.
Commercial fisheries grew 10.4 per cent while aquaculture and municipal fisheries expanded 5.9 and 5.5 per cent, respectively.
Livestock production expanded 2.4 per cent in 2007 compared to the previous year’s level and accounted for 13 per cent of overall Philippine output during the period.
More information on the performance of Philippine agriculture last year is provided in the following link: http://www.bas.gov.ph/perflastyear.php.
FAS said that farm output is likely to further grow in 2008 as a result of recent policy adjustments, which provide more production and marketing support to the local agricultural sector, weather permitting.
Philippine Agriculture and Aquaculture Expands
PHILIPPINES - Philippine agriculture expanded 4.7 per cent in 2007, an improvement from the 3.8 per cent growth in 2006 and between the official 4.5-5.0 per cent expansion target for the year, according to data from the local Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.