TOTAL production of major crops in the second quarter this year dropped by 17 percent compared to the same period last year, a report from National Economic Development Authority (Neda) Northern Mindanao noted.
Industrial crops registered the major drop which recorded an average decrease of 58 percent in production.
Production of sugarcane, which accounted about 91 percent of the total industrial crops, went down by 60 percent.
Neda officials noted that this drop can be attributed to the decrease in area harvested.
Banana and pineapple, the major contributors of fruit crops production, registered a modest growth of 1.27 and 3.97 percent, respectively.
The value of selected crops increased by 19.43 percent, year-on-year. On the other hand, the double-digit decrease in the value of root crops was tempered by growth in the value of big commodities such as fruit crops mainly due to the increase of both volume and prices of banana and pineapple.
Meanwhile, total livestock and poultry inventory posted at 22,280,439 heads/birds as of July 1, 2016, down by a minimal of 1.23 percent from the previous year's level.
The report noted that only hogs and layers did not post a decline in the inventory.
In terms of meat production, livestock, and poultry recorded 5 percent increase year-on-year, reaching 109,226 metric tons.
According to Neda, the highest growth was posted by carabao at 16.2 percent, followed by swine and chicken at 9.5 and 3.9 percent, respectively.
Also, total fish production increased by only less than one percent. The report stated that only municipal fishing posted favorable outputs during the second quarter of 2016.
Neda officials said good weather condition also contributed to the abundance of municipal fishing aside from the in-season species.
Officials also noted that good weather encouraged more fishing trips and more inland fishing operations owing to lesser crop farming activities during the quarter.
On the other hand, commercial fishing posted a negative output, mainly attributed to the unfavorable performances posted by the two Misamis provinces and Camiguin caused by the strict implementation of 15-kilometer boundary rule.
The 15-kilometer boundary implies that commercial fishermen cannot anymore encroach and unload catches in areas outside the region.
Meanwhile, brackish water fishpond, declined by 9.4 percent, noting a decrease in area harvested and the temporary halt of operation in some farms reportedly due to financial constraints. Brackish water fishpond is noted as the second largest contributor in the total production of aquaculture.
Neda added that fish production in fresh water fishpond declined by 4.5 percent year-on-year, due to the drying up of ponds which affected and may have stunted the growth of fish.
Also, seaweed production, which contributed the bulk of total aquaculture output, grew by less than one percent.
The additional area harvested was attributed to production support such as the provision of propagules and floaters to the seaweed producers.