PSA revives 7 key agricultural surveys

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is reviving the conduct of seven key agriculture surveys this year to help policy makers have a better grasp of the country’s food supply, demand, stocks, production and inventory. 

Surveys that would be renewed for nationwide taking this year are the following: Palay Production Survey (PPS),Corn Production Survey (CPS), Crops Production Survey (CrPS), Monthly Palay and Corn Situation Reporting System (MPCSRS), Palay and Corn Stocks Survey (PCSS1), Backyard Livestock and Poultry Survey (BLPS) and Commercial Livestock and Poultry Survey (CLPS). 

The PSA said the information generated by the surveys would help policy and decision makers implement the appropriate interventions to maintain food security in the country. 

The 2016 PPS and CPS would generate estimates and forecasts of cultivations areas for the staples and the corresponding yield expectations in 80 provinces including Batanes.  The surveys would be conducted one month after each reference quarter. For example, the survey for April 1 to June 30 would be conducted in July while the survey for July to Sept. 30 would be conducted in October. 

The CrPS, which would also be undertaken on a quarterly basis, would generate basic production statistics for more than 200 crops other than palay (unhusked rice) and corn. This would contain information on the volume of production, area planted and harvested, number of bearing trees, yield per hectare, yield per bearing tree, and bearing trees per hectare. 

Meanwhile, the 2016 MPCSRS would draw monthly updates from the PPS and CPS to provide timely updates on the growing conditions and actual plantings of palay and corn.