Angara noted that the slowdown of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter to 4.6 percent from 6.4 percent in the same period last year was due to a “substantial decline” in agricultural production.

While the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported that the agricultural sector suffered from many storms and the El Niño phenomenon, Angara stressed that  these were natural factors that occur every year.  “We can anticipate them and take proper measures to mitigate their effects,” he said.

Angara, a former secretary of agriculture, expressed support for the program of the League of the Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) and the Department of Agriculture to develop 371,327 hectares of new lands for agribusiness.

He cited the programs for the cultivation of 50,000 hectares for the planting of cassava crops and 3,000 hectares for corn in Cagayan, the cultivation of 1,000 hectares in Sarangani province in Mindanao for planting of pineapple in coordination with Dole Plantation and the planting of rice under the “Rice Palagad Program” covering 5,657 hectares of new areas in Occidental Mindoro.

He also lauded Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for convening the National Agribusiness Summit, attended by provincial governors, and Department of Agriculture officials and agricultural experts at the Century Park Manila last week.

The summit was convened in support of the 10point legacy agenda of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, particularly on the development of two million hectares for agribusiness, to generate at least two million new jobs.

“While such summits are useful for reviewing and assessing the results of government programs to boost agricultural products, we should not just leave it at that but follow through to ensure the accomplishment of the programs’ goals,” said Angara.

He said that aside from using more hybrid stocks and fertilizers, the government should also build more post harvest to save our agricultural produce from wastage and spoilage.