Slight growth in agri sector seen in 2019

Despite the adverse effects on farmers of the rice tariffication law and the entry of African swine fever in the country, Agriculture Secretary William Dar remains optimistic that the agriculture sector will end the year with some expansion.

In a statement posted on the agency’s website, Dar said he expected the momentum from the third quarter to carry over into the last three months of the year, with all sub-sectors seen registering growth.

During the third quarter, the sector was able to grow by 2.87 percent, bringing overall growth for the first nine months to 0.75 percent.

“We are hopeful that this favorable condition will be sustained into the fourth quarter of the year to allow us to attain a full-year growth,” said Dar.

Moving forward, the secretary said the agency would focus on promoting inclusive agribusiness that would transform food producers to entrepreneurs, and encourage young Filipinos to take interest in farming activities.

It would also push for a soil health program for the 11 million hectares of agricultural land, which would help stakeholders identify which parts of the country would be suitable for planting different crops.

Dar has introduced the “2-3-4” strategy in the DA, which hopes to increase total agricultural production by 2 percent in 2020, 3 percent in 2021, and 4 percent in 2022. INQ