2019 farmgate prices comparable to 2017 rates

By Paulo Loreto Lim

According to the first quarter Performance of Philippine Agriculture report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the overall gross value of production for sugarcane, or net revenue, saw an increase of 36.25 percent.

The agency credited the boost to “improvement in production and better prices.”

In addition, production in the Western Visayas saw a 14.57 percent bump.

They also noted “better quality” crops were being harvested.

The latest report draws a contrast to the previous quarter as the PSA earlier reported 2018 fourth quarter agriculture numbers up, but sugarcane production in decline.

The earlier report also noted sugarcane production saw a 2.22 percent drop, noting a reduction in areas harvested in the Western Visayas.

While the recent report also noted prices went up, by nearly 19 percent, which has become a political issue in the region with various figures pointing fingers at who is causing price fluctuations, the PSA report points out 2019 prices are somewhat comparable to 2017, with 2018 merely exhibiting a dip.

According to the report, the average farmgate prices for sugar in 2017 was P1.60 per kilogram. This figure dipped to P1.42/kilogram last year and is now back up to P1.69/kilogram.

Value in production also saw a decline last year as sugarcane saw a 27.95 percent drop between 2017 and 2018. However, as earlier noted, value of production is currently up by over 36 percent./PLL, WDJ