The agriculture production dropped about 4.53% in the 1st quarter of 2016.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that rice production dropped 9.97% and 19.07% in corn.
Prior to this, the Department of Agriculture (DA) projected a 900 thousand metric tons of production loss before the extreme effect of El Niño hits.
But based on record last April, DA only recorded around 300 thousand production loss.
The National Food Authority (NFA) predicts the price of rice will remain stable because supply is sufficient.
The NFA council has no plans yet for any additional importation.
“The price is very very stable. It doesn’t spike. It doesn’t increase,” NFA Spokesperson Angel Imperial assured.
Despite the effect of El Niño in the country, livestock production is up by 4.66% mostly from hogs and poultry.
But this is still lower than their target due to extreme heat.
“We have been ready since June 2015. We have prepared food, crops. Then we have multiplied our breeders,” said Agriculture Undersecretary Jose Reaño
The fishery production also dropped by 5.11% while the production of cassava, tobacco, abaca, coffee, sugar cane and mongo increased.
(REY PELAYO/UNTV News)
The post 1st quarter’s rice and corn production drops appeared first on UNTV News.