MANILA – The Philippine agricultural sector posted growth at an annual pace of 2.87 percent in the third quarter, recovering from 1.3 percent contraction in the June quarter, the country’s statistics agency said on Wednesday.
The country’s crop output, which accounted for 45.2 percent of the total agricultural production, climbed two percent despite a 4.53 percent drop in paddy rice harvest amid an El Niño-induced dry weather and the liberalization of rice importation.
Livestock output grew 1.6 percent despite an outbreak of African swine fever in some backyard farms, while poultry rose 8.4 percent and fisheries climbed 0.6 percent.
The government will release its third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data on Thursday, with growth seen boosted by higher government spending, based on poll analysts.
Agriculture in recent quarters accounted for less than 10 percent of the country’s GDP. (Reuters)
