Agricultural and fisheries output in the second quarter rose 5.7 percent year-on-year to P437.53 billion in value, boosted by gains in the crops and poultry subsectors, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Wednesday.
Total output in April–June was down 0.1 percent from the 438.02 billion of production value in the first quarter.
For the first half of 2025, production value increased 3.8 percent to P875.56 billion from P843.68 billion a year earlier, data from the latest PSA report showed.
Crops posted the biggest gain, up 11.3 percent at P244.90 billion at constant 2018 prices, making up 56 percent of total agricultural and fisheries output.
Gains were driven by higher production of palay (up 13.9 percent at 4.38 million MT), corn (up 27.3 percent at 1.49 million MT), sugarcane, onion, coffee, cabbage, cacao, rubber, tobacco, calamansi, coconut, eggplant, cassava and ampalaya.
Declines were noted in abaca, tomato, mongo, mango, sweet potato, potato, banana and pineapple.
For the first half, crop production rose 5.9 percent to P494.51 billion.
Poultry output strong
Poultry output in the quarter grew 7 percent to P75.07 billion, accounting for 17.2 percent of total agricultural production. Chicken production climbed 8.2 percent to 563,040 MT, while chicken egg output rose 4.8 percent to 207,760 MT.
First-half poultry production increased 8.4 percent to P150.57 billion.
Livestock, fisheries down
The livestock subsector, 13.6 percent of total output, fell 5.9 percent to P59.60 billion on lower hog (-7.5 percent) and carabao (-2.9 percent) production, partly offset by gains in dairy, cattle, and goat.
For the first half, livestock output dropped 4.4 percent to P117.43 billion.
The fisheries subsector contracted 4.2 percent to P57.96 billion, with declines in skipjack, bigeye tuna, vannamei shrimp, blue crab, tamban, mud crab, tunsoy, galunggong, talakitok, milkfish and tulingan.
Gains were recorded for grouper, alumahan, sapsap, yellowfin tuna, bisugo, matangbaka, squid, tilapia, and tiger prawn.
First-half fisheries production slipped 1.5 percent to P113.05 billion.
Policy impact cited
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the rebound “reflects the effectiveness of government interventions” and affirms long-term policies.
“We know we still have to do a lot more to realize the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a modern agricultural sector … But this result—and that of the first quarter—is a clear indication that we are on the right track,” he said in a statement Wenesday.
Resilience vs weather, diseases
Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto credited the gains to the absence of El Niño and improved resilience against ASF and avian flu.
Federation of Free Farmers chairman Leonardo Montemayor cited the “base effect” from last year’s drought-hit output.
