Domestic trade up 0.8% to 5.09 million tons in Q3

CEBU, Philippines — Domestic trade data released yesterday by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the total quantity of goods traded within the country increased to 5.09 million tons in the third quarter of 2019, which is 0.8 percent higher from the 5.05 million tons recorded in the same period last year.

The total value of domestic trade during the third quarter of 2019 totaled to P204.53 billion, which is 20.1 percent increase from the P170.33 billion value recorded in the same period of 2018.

While NCR posted the highest quantity of traded commodities, Central Visayas on the other hand topped in terms of inflow value.

NCR registered the highest quantity of traded commodities of 1.17 million tons, which is 22.9 percent share to total in the third quarter of 2019.

Central Luzon ranked second with 0.83 million tons (16.4%) and Bicol Region placed third with quantity of 0.66 million tons (12.9%).

Central Visayas posted the highest inflow value of P51.02 billion or 24.9 percent share to total inflow value of domestic trade. It was followed by Western Visayas and Caraga with inflow values of P32.82 billion (16.0%) and P32.41 billion (15.8%), respectively. Cagayan Valley, on the other hand, had the lowest inflow value of P4.12 thousand.

Machinery and transport equipment led in terms of value of traded commodities with P62.15 billion or 30.4 percent share to total. It was followed by food and live animals and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material with values of  P51.58 billion or 25.2 percent and P25.94 billion or 12.7 percent, respectively.

Among the regions, NCR ranked first with value of P77.48 billion or 37.9 percent share to total value of domestic trade in the third quarter of 2019. Western Visayas ranked second with P31.9 billion or 15.6 percent and Eastern Visayas placed third with value of P28.70 billion or 14.0 percent.

By commodity section, food and live animals was the highest in terms of quantity of domestic trade in the third quarter of 2019 accounting for 1.19 million tons or 23.4 percent share to total.

It was followed by mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material with 0.90 million tons (17.7%) and 0.80 million tons (15.7%), respectively.

Almost all or 99.8 percent of the commodities were traded through water (coastwise) while the remaining commodities were through air.