AGRICULTURAL and fisheries production rebounded in the second quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday, driven by gains across crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries.
Output grew by 2.9 percent year on year to P452.22 billion and recovered from the first quarter’s 0.3-percent dip to P437.52 billion. Growth in the second quarter last year, however, was stronger at 6.2 percent.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the result and said it was proof that government spending on agriculture had produced measurable gains and also strengthened the sector ahead of an expected El Niño later this year.
“This strong second-quarter performance shows the Marcos administration’s farm modernization agenda is delivering results where they matter most, on our farms and in rural communities,” he said.
“Higher productivity is translating into better incomes for farmers and fisherfolk while strengthening a sector that provides livelihoods to nearly four in 10 Filipinos and powers growth across the countryside,” Tiu Laurel added.
Crop production grew by an annual 1.6 percent to P248.90 billion, also recovering from the 2.4-percent drop posted in January-March. It accounted for 55.0 percent of overall agriculture and fisheries output.
Palay — the country’s biggest crop with a 20.7 share of the total — grew by 5.7 percent to P93.7 billion after contracting by 6.5 percent in the first three months of 2026.
Poultry, which at P79.84 billion had the second-largest share (17.7 percent) of overall production, saw growth ease to 6.3 percent from 7.1 percent in the first quarter.
Chicken accounted for the bulk of output, growing 4.1 percent to P55.12 billion, but chicken eggs led growth (up 13.2 percent to P22.74 billion)
Livestock also recorded a slowdown to 3.6 percent from 5.0 percent, with its P61.83 billion in output accounting for a 13.7-percent share of total agriculture and fisheries production.
Growth in this sector was led by dairy, with output up 37.8 percent to P527 billion, but hogs accounted for the bulk with a 5.6-percent rise to P50.04 billion.
Fisheries, lastly, grew by 2.7 percent to P61.64 billion — 13.6 percent of total output. Growth rebounded from a 6.0-percent plunge in the first quarter.
Year to date, the value of agriculture and fisheries output rose by 1.3 percent to P889.68 billion, but the growth was slower compared to the 4.0 percent seen the first six months of 2025.
Crop production reversed to a 0.4-percent dip to P492.46 billion from 5.9-percent growth a year earlier. Fisheries output was also negative as of end-June, falling 1.5 percent to P114.16 from a 0.1-percent uptick in the first six months of 2025.
Poultry, meanwhile, grew by a slower 6.7 percent to P160.67 billion compared to 8.4-percent expansion seen in January-June last year.