The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) rebased the Producer Price Index (PPI) for Agriculture to 2018, from base year 2006. In this first release of the 2018-based series of PPI for Agriculture, data series from the first quarter of 2018 to fourth quarter of 2020 are included in the statistical tables.

A. PPI for agriculture at the national level picked up in the fourth quarter of 2020

The annual growth rate of PPI for agriculture at the country level rose to 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, from an annual rate of 0.7 percent in the third quarter of 2020. In the fourth quarter of 2019, PPI for agriculture declined at an annual rate of -6.8 percent. (Figure 1, and Tables 6 and 7)

This brings the Philippines’ annual average growth rate of PPI for agriculture for the year 2020 at zero percent. (Tables A, 6 and 7)

By region, the highest annual growth rate of PPI for agriculture in the fourth quarter of 2020 was registered in Region IV-A (CALABARZON) at 22.4 percent, while the lowest was recorded in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) at -20.3 percent. (Table 7)

B. By Major Commodity Group

1. PPI for crops decelerated in the fourth quarter of 2020

The annual increment of PPI for crops at the country level slightly slowed down to 2.2 percent during the fourth quarter of 2020, from 2.3 percent annual rate in the previous quarter. (Figure 2, and Tables 6 and 8)

Annual upticks were slower in the indices of fruits at 0.9 percent, and commercial crops, 0.4 percent.

On the other hand, annual hikes were higher in the indices of cereals at 3.3 percent; and condiments, 40.5 percent.

Moreover, the indices of other commodity groups such as beans and legumes; fruit vegetables; and leafy vegetables posted positive annual rates, after recording annual declines in the previous quarter. Also, the annual decline of -4.8 percent in the index of root crops during the period was lower compared with its annual rate in the previous quarter at -5.8 percent. (Tables 6 and 11)

2. PPI for livestock and poultry picked up in the fourth quarter of 2020

The annual rate of PPI for livestock and poultry soared to 20.6 percent during the fourth quarter of 2020, relative to its annual growth of 1.7 percent in the previous quarter. Its annual change in the same quarter of 2019 was recorded at -6.1 percent. (Figure 3, and Tables 6 and 9)

The uptrend in the PPI for livestock and poultry was due to the 31.7 percent annual increase in the index for livestock during the quarter. In addition, the annual decrease of -3.4 percent for the index of poultry during the period was lower compared with its previous quarter’s annual decline of -7.6 percent. (Tables 6 and 12)

3. PPI for fishery decreased at a lower rate during the fourth quarter of 2020

The PPI for fishery recorded an annual drop of -8.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020. This was lower relative to its annual decrease of -9.2 percent in the previous quarter. In the same quarter of 2019, it exhibited an annual increase of 0.8 percent. (Figure 4, and Tables 6 and 10)

From double-digit annual decreases in the previous quarter, the indices of aquaculture and commercial fishery during the period posted annual declines of -5.9 percent and -8.4 percent, respectively.