Farm and fishery production, which accounts for more than a tenth of the gross domestic product, rebounded with a 3-percent growth in the third quarter after declining in the first two quarters, on higher crop harvests, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.
The PSA said in a report despite the improved production in the third quarter, total agriculture output in the first three quarters was still down by 1.5 percent, compared to a 0.65-percent expansion registered in the same period last year.
Total value of production based on current prices reached P360.9 billion in the third quarter, higher by 7.3 percent than P336.3 billion in the third quarter of 2015.
The crops subsector which accounted for almost half of the total production grew 5.24 percent in the third quarter, from a 4.72-percent contraction a year ago.
Rice production increased 16.35 percent in the third quarter to 3 million metric tons of palay from 2.5 million MT in the same period last year.
Corn production also went up by 10.61 percent to 2.66 million MT from 2.40 million MT. Coconut production, however, went down 7.20 percent from 3.98 million MT to 3.69 million MT.
The livestock sector grew 3.89 percent in the third quarter this year, on higher production of cattle, goat and dairy. The poultry sector grew 2.43 percent in July to September.
The fishery production, however, contracted 2.5 percent.