RP agriculture moving up
PHILIPPINES - Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has reported to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the country's agriculture sector is moving up with 3.55 percent growth in production for the 1st quarter of this year.With this growth, the production valued at P234.2 billion or a 4.78 percent increase in gross receipts compared to the same period last year.
In addition to his report, he identified that fishery sub-sector has achieved a production increase of 8.52 percent for the 1st quarter also and considered is as the major gainer compared to poultry, livestock and crop sub-sectors. With fishery production alone, the gross value output amounted to P43.7 billion which is 10.34 percent higher than last year while in gross revenues from crop production at current prices, it had reached P130 billion, on livestock, P39.3 billion and poultry P30.3 billion.
In the province of La Union, the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG) headed by Dr. Geoffrey S. Tilan, Ed.D., OIC bared in their Commodity Analysis/highlights of accomplishment report that as of April 2007, fishery sub-sector generated the highest income with 36percent share followed by fruits at 26percent, rice at 14percent and commercial crops, corn, legumes at 4percent. Fishery sub-sector also has the biggest employment provider with 8,950 man-years generated, followed by rice and corn.
Source: Philippine Information Agency