Biyernes, Abril 29, 2011

2nd Reaction Paper for Economics: Agriculture

AGRICULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES


     Agricultural products comprised only about 5 percent of the country's exports, with electronic products accounting for almost 52 percent of export receipts. While the agriculture sector employed 11 million Filipinos or 36.4 percent of the entire employed population estimated at 30.186 million workers as of April 2002, the sector contributed only 21 percent to the GDP in 2001.

     The Philippines, which remains largely rural and agricultural, has become the world's fourth largest importer of rice, after Indonesia, Nigeria and Iran. Citing a report of the US Department of Agriculture, Representative Satur Ocampo said the country imported about 1.18 million tons metric tons of rice in 2001 and a total of 1.2 million metric tons (24 million 50-kilogram bags) of rice in 2002.

    Sugarcane is considered the largest non-cereal crop in the Philippines in terms of metric tons produced. According to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), around 556,000 farmers and 25,000 sugar mill workers are employed in the local sugar industry. In 1999, the total size of sugar farms was 359,977 hectares, with total production of 1.53 million metric tons.

   The Philippines supplies 13.5 percent of the US sugar requirements under a quota system. Ironically, the country could not even meet its own local demand. It has to import around 350,000 metric tons of sugar in order to meet its domestic demand of about 1.9 million tons annually. Filipinos consume 150,000 metric tons of raw sugar per month. The country produced about 28.24 million metric tons of sugarcane in 2001.


                                      

                            


Reaction

    I think that agriculture is one of the largest sector in Philippine Economy. The country's main agricultural crops are rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, bananas, pineapple, coffee, mangoes, tobacco, and abaca (a banana-like plant). Secondary crops include peanut, cassava, camote (a type of rootcrop), garlic, onion, cabbage, eggplant, calamansi (a variety of lemon), rubber, and cotton. Rice as the most common crop in many rural areas made our economy improve.Sugar is also the main product from sugarcanes and helps other unemployed workers to be employed. Many workers are employed by working through  Sugar Mills or work as farmers for low lands or any type of lands that is available for planting. However, there are issues in regards with the funds of agricultural economy. The government didn't give enough support like programs to enable the farmers to produce more crops than they normally do. Corruption occurs in our economy. This is one of the reasons why the agricultural economy of the Philippines slowly progressed. Examples of these programs  and projects that are not adequately funded by our government is the construction of efficient irrigation systems which would have a huge help for farmers to have adequate supply of water for their crops. I think that the government should give attention to the agricultural sector of our country for it has given supported our needs and supplied the market goods and products to be used by Philippine people. If the government act immediately on their projects regarding agricultural issues, maybe our agricultural economy might not deteriorate, maybe we would not be in our country's present sorry status.


1 komento:

  1. GOOD!

    You have good opinions. However, I want you to add more personal reactions particularly the impact of the said issue on you.

    score:19/25

    TumugonBurahin