Philippines Q4 farm output shrinks 1.11% y-o-y on strong typhoons

[MANILA] The Philippines' agricultural output fell 1.11 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with a year ago as strong typhoons pulled down crops and fisheries production, the statistics agency said on Friday.

The sector, which accounts for about a tenth of the country's overall economic output, posted a full-year contraction of 1.41 per cent, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

Crops, accounting for half of total agricultural production, fell 3.32 per cent last year, with paddy rice harvest down 2.9 per cent to 17.63 million tonnes, below a government forecast of 17.91 million tonnes, the PSA said in a report.

REUTERS