Fisheries, poultry boost Central Visayas’ farm sector in 2024

Local

FISHERIES and poultry carried the weight of Central Visayas’ farm sector in 2024, helping the region post overall growth despite setbacks in crops and livestock.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority-Central Visayas (PSA-7), the agriculture and fisheries sector expanded by 5.2 percent at constant 2018 prices, reaching P63.15 billion.

At current prices, which reflect the effect of prevailing market values, output climbed by 7.9 percent to P88.51 billion.

PSA-7 Director Wilma Perante, speaking during the Regional Dissemination Forum on August 20, explained that the figures showed how some subsectors gained significantly while others declined.

She stressed that the overall result is not necessarily bad since strong recoveries in fisheries and poultry more than compensated for losses in other components.

Among the subsectors, fisheries recorded the most remarkable growth.

At constant prices, output surged by 44.5 percent to P6.3 billion, while at current prices, it rose by 30.6 percent to P7.35 billion.

This performance indicated a strong rebound in the subsector, which has been a key contributor to rural livelihoods and food supply in the region.

The poultry subsector ranked second in terms of growth. Production increased by 24.1 percent at constant prices, equivalent to P21.33 billion, and by 14 percent at current prices, valued at P28.11 billion.

This expansion further reinforced poultry’s position as a major source of meat for consumers in the region.

Crops, on the other hand, delivered mixed results. At constant 2018 prices, production contracted slightly by 0.9 percent, valued at P13.92 billion.

However, when viewed at current prices, the value of crop output rose by 12.3 percent to P18.48 billion.

The contrasting figures reflected how physical production remained almost flat, while higher market prices lifted the value of output.

The livestock subsector registered the steepest decline. At constant prices, production dropped by 11.7 percent to P21.61 billion, while at current prices, it fell by 2 percent to P34.57 billion.

Despite this downturn, livestock remained the single largest contributor to overall production.

In terms of shares, livestock accounted for 34.2 percent of total production at constant prices and 39.1 percent at current prices.

Poultry followed closely, contributing 33.8 percent at constant prices and 31.8 percent at current prices.

Crops made up 22 percent at constant prices and 20.9 percent at current prices, while fisheries, despite its strong rebound, accounted for 10 percent at constant prices and 8.3 percent at current prices.

Perante emphasized that the differences between constant and current prices highlight two ways of looking at growth.

Constant prices measure real output, stripped of price changes, while current prices reflect the monetary value of production influenced by market conditions.

She noted that this distinction is important in assessing both the physical performance of agriculture and its contribution to the regional economy in peso terms.(MyTVCebu)