A. Total Agricultural Trade

1. Total agricultural trade decreased by -8.6 percent

The country’s total agricultural trade in the first quarter of 2023, which amounted to USD 5.90 billion, posted an annual decline of -8.6 percent. This was lower than the annual rates of 5.1 percent and 30.7 percent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2022, respectively.

In the first quarter of 2023, total agricultural exports was recorded at USD 1.55 billion or 26.2 percent share to the total agricultural trade, while agricultural imports accounted for USD 4.36 billion or 73.8 percent of the total agricultural trade. (Figure 1, and Tables A and 1)

2. Agricultural trade balance increased by 10.2 percent

In the first quarter of 2023, the total balance of trade in agricultural goods was USD -2.81 billion. This reflects a deficit with an annual growth of 10.2 percent. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the annual increase in the trade deficit went up by 37.5 percent, while the trade deficit in the first quarter of 2022 posted an annual increment of 40.8 percent. (Tables A and 1)

B. Agricultural Exports

1. Agricultural exports went down by -20.8 percent

The country’s agricultural export revenue dropped to USD 1.55 billion or by -20.8 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2023 from USD 1.95 billion agricultural export revenue in the first quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the value of agricultural exports accounted for 9.2 percent of the country’s total exports. (Figure 2, and Tables A and 1)

2. Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit melons commodity group accounted for the largest share to the total agricultural exports

The top 10 commodity groups in terms of value of agricultural exports contributed USD 1.50 billion or 96.8 percent of the total agricultural export revenue in the first quarter of 2023. The combined agricultural export value of these top 10 commodity groups posted an annual decrease of -20.6 percent during the quarter.

Among the commodity groups, edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit melons, which was valued at USD 439.51 million, comprised the largest share of 28.4 percent to the total agricultural exports for the first quarter of this year. (Figure 3 and Table 3)

3. Malaysia led as a trading partner in agricultural exports among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries

The country’s agricultural exports to ASEAN member countries in the first quarter of 2023 amounted to USD 165.42 million, which accounted for 5.8 percent of the total value of exports to ASEAN member countries. Among the ASEAN member countries, Malaysia was the top buyer of agricultural exports worth USD 52.58 million, recording a share of 31.8 percent to the total value of agricultural exports to ASEAN member countries for the first quarter of 2023. (Figure 4 and Table 7)

4. Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes commodity group was the top agricultural exports to ASEAN member countries

The top three major agricultural commodities exported to ASEAN member countries in the first quarter of 2023 were:

a. tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes, USD 65.98 million;
b. animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes, USD 18.45 million; and
c. preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastrycooks’ products, USD 17.54 million. (Table 7)

5. Netherlands was the country’s major trading partner in the exports of agricultural goods among European Union (EU) member countries

Exports of agricultural goods to EU member countries in the first quarter of 2023 reached USD 380.74 million, which contributed 18.7 percent to the country’s total value of exports to EU member countries.

Among the EU member countries, Netherlands was the country’s top destination of agricultural commodities worth USD 180.77 million or 47.5 percent of the total agricultural exports to EU member countries for this quarter of 2023. (Figure 5 and Table 9)

6. Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes commodity group was the top agricultural exports to EU member countries

The top three major agricultural commodities exported to EU member countries in the first quarter of 2023 were:

a. animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes, USD 212.82 million;
b. preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, USD 51.50 million; and
c. lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts, USD 34.26 million. (Table 9)

C. Agricultural Imports

1.  Agricultural imports decreased annually by -3.3 percent

The total agricultural imports was valued at USD 4.36 billion, representing a share of 13.9 percent to the country’s total imports in the first quarter of 2023. It registered a decline of -3.3 percent compared with its value of USD 4.50 billion in the first quarter of 2022. (Figure 6, and Tables A and 1).

2. Cereals commodity group accounted for the highest value of agricultural imports

The top 10 commodity groups in terms of value of agricultural imports was valued at USD 3.71 billion or 85.1 percent of the total agricultural import revenue in the first quarter of 2023. Moreover, the combined agricultural import value of these top 10 commodity groups posted an annual decrement of -5.6 percent during the first quarter of 2023 relative to its same quarter value in 2022.

Among the major commodity groups, cereals accounted for the largest share worth USD 916.94 million or 21.0 percent of the total value of agricultural imports in the first quarter of 2023. (Figure 7 and Table 5)

3. Indonesia reported the highest agricultural import value among ASEAN member countries

The country’s agricultural imports from ASEAN member countries in the first quarter of 2023 amounted to USD 1.47 billion or 15.5 percent of the country’s total imports. In terms of value, Indonesia was the major supplier of agricultural products to the Philippines among ASEAN member countries, contributing USD 412.51 million or 28.0 percent of the country’s total value of agricultural imports from ASEAN member countries in the first quarter of 2023. (Figure 8 and Table 8)

4. Cereals commodity group was the top imported agricultural commodity from ASEAN member countries

The top three imported agricultural goods from ASEAN member countries in the first quarter of 2023 were:

a. cereals, USD 333.80 million;
b. miscellaneous edible preparations, USD 332.73 million; and
c. animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes, USD 260.13 million. (Table 8)

5. Spain led EU member countries in agricultural imports

The country’s agricultural imports from EU member countries amounted to USD 411.51 million or a share of 19.8 percent to the total value of imports in the first quarter of 2023. Among EU member countries, Spain was the country’s top supplier of agricultural commodities with an import value of USD 93.93 million or a share of 22.8 percent to the country’s total value of agricultural imports from EU member countries. (Figure 9 and Table 10)

6. Meat and edible meat offal commodity group topped agricultural  imports from EU member countries

The top three agricultural commodities imported from EU member countries in the first quarter of 2023 were:

a. meat and edible meat offal, USD 106.13 million;
b. dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere classified, USD 76.50 million; and
c. beverages, spirits and vinegar, USD 53.90 million. (Table 10)

DIVINA GRACIA L. DEL PRADO, PhD
(Assistant National Statistician)
Officer-in-Charge, Deputy National Statistician
Sectoral Statistics Office