A number of activities undertaken by the BAS relate to the generation of agricultural marketing information. For instance, agricultural market prices are used as determinants of supply and demand levels while other related marketing information provide guidelines for policy formulation and decisions to improve commodity flows and marketing structure. Among the activities undertaken to generate agricultural marketing statistics are the following:

1. AGMARIS-AMNEWSS Wholesale/Retail Price Monitoring (WPM/RPM)

Wholesale Price Monitoring is a statistical activity which monitors price levels and changes in agricultural commodities traded in bulk at major markets or wholesale terminals.

Retail Price Monitoring is a statistical activity which monitors retail price levels and changes of over 100 retail commodities, including cereals, meat, fish and poultry. The activity is conducted to implement a comprehensive and responsive marketing information system for unprocessed agricultural commodities. The objectives of the wholesale/retail price monitoring activities are:

• To generate prices at the wholesale and retail levels including other relevant marketing information at regular frequencies (three times a week for RPM and varying for WPM depending on the market days of pre-determined major trading centers throughout the country);
• To immediately process information at the field level and disseminate data particularly to the farmers/fisherfolks;
• To operationalize an information exchange subsystem among POCs;
• To publish and disseminate national level price reports for use of planners, policy makers, private agribusiness sector and other clientele;
• To establish linkages with national and provincial broadcast and print media; and
• To provide statistical analysis of quantitative market information being generated.

Generated Outputs

1. Weekly Cereals and Fertilizer Price Bulletin - 52 issues
2. Weekly Market Price Reports - 52 issues
3. Data Bank/Researchers Files

1. First Level

• Farm prices (November 1999 to October 2000)
• Wholesale prices (December 1999 to November 2000)
• Retail prices (October 1999 to September 2000)
• Livestock "Oksyon" Markets
• Cereals and Fertilizer
• Farm Chemicals (December 1999 to November 2000)
• Trading Matrix (October 1999-September 2000

2. Second Level

• Cereals
• Livestock and Poultry
• Fish
• Leafy Vegetables
• Fruit Vegetables
• Condiments
• Legumes, Beans, Root crops
• Roots and Tubers
• Fruits
• Commercial Crops

2. Agricultural Marketing Information System (AGMARIS)

AGMARIS is a system encompassing the four functions of data collection, data processing, data analysis and information dissemination. It involves the design and implementation of site-specific AGMARIS that parallels the existing marketing system and responds to the information needs of the data users. Its objectives are:

• Increase market transparency and enhance availability of timely and accurate data to guide farmers, entrepreneurs and policy makers in their marketing and policy decisions;
• Provide marketing information reflecting the perceived needs of data users, rather than the viewpoint of "experts" or the orientation of the institution providing the information;
• Parallel the structure and operations of the commodity marketing system from where marketing information would be sourced;
• Allow the tailoring of dissemination strategies to match information users' way of learning about and usage of marketing information.
• Add credibility to the information given the involvement of the private sector in the design and monitoring rather than as mere respondent or data supplier.

AGMARIS PROVINCES

AGMARIS SERVICES

This is designed for farmers and entrepreneurs who need current price information. This service features the quick dissemination of wholesale and retail prices collected from major trading centers. Prices collected are generally disseminated within the day of collection, tapping popular media such as radio, television and bulletin boards.

This service uses the data gathered by the Market News Service. Principally geared towards policy makers and researchers, the PMS aggregates data on a monthly basis at the provincial, regional and national levels to come up with time series and statistical tables.

AGMARIS NETWORKING

The implementation of AGMARIS in 30 provinces has resulted in information exchange between trading partner provinces. Thus, a provincial AGMARIS may disseminate prices collected not only in its trading centers but also in markets of other provinces.

Generated Outputs

1. Databank on different levels of price information - (January to December)
2. Publication of Price Reports
3. Facilitated the data needs of researchers - (January to December

3. Farm Prices Survey (FPS) Implementation of New Methodology

This is a farm household-based survey, which monitors 59 agricultural commodities and 11 items for livestock, poultry and eggs. This activity generates data series on prices received by farmers (at the first point of sale) from the sale of their produce and prices paid by farmers for farm inputs and household items. This activity covers a maximum of 10 commodities in each province representing the major production output of the area. Its objectives are:

• To generate estimates of farmgate prices of major agricultural commodities;
• To develop sets of price indices and to measure the purchasing power of producers of selected agricultural commodities;
• To analyze the seasonal trends and variations in agricultural prices;
• To serve as input for forecasting future supply, demand and prices of agricultural products;
• To assist policy makers in the formulation, implementation and administration of economic programs; and
• To guide farmers in their decision making relative to they are agricultural activities and improve their profitability and income.

Generated Outputs

1. Monthly Farm Prices Survey reports
2. Revised FPS design
3. Prepared proposal for the implementation of new FPS methodology
4. Trained BAS personnel on new FPS methodology
5. Conducted monthly FPS

4. Maintenance of Agricultural Foreign Trade Statistics

Monitoring of foreign trade statistics is a monthly activity of the BAS in coordination with the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Central Bank (CB). The general aim is to develop, maintain and analyze domestic and foreign agricultural trade and marketing information. Its objectives are:

• provide policy makers with timely and accurate information on the status of the country's agricultural trade with the rest of the world;
• Highlights and analyze performances of Phlippine agricultural commodities and fishery outputs in the global markets;
• Establish major markets and suppliers of the top ten agricultural exports and imports;
• Prepare monthly comparative price statistics of selected agricultural commodities on both national and international levels;
• Generation of terms of trade indices of selected agricultural commodities;
• Preparation of international market situation and outlook reports of traditional and non-traditional commodities.
• Support information needs of researchers, business communities and the local and international agencies.

Generated Outputs

1. Agricultural Foreign trade Development - Annual report (1999)
2. Monthly Agricultural Foreign Trade Development Report - (January - December)
3. Monthly World Price Bulletin - (January-December)
4. Situation and Outlook on Selected Commodities
   1. Commodity Focus
   2. Status and Prospects of Selected Commodities

5. Data Banking

This is a continuing activity, which is aimed at generating price information at different levels. There are two levels of data banking on prices, namely, First Level which covers retail, wholesale, farm, LOM, cereals and fertilizer, farm chemicals and FPS Form 18; the other is the Second Level data banking which covers prices of cereals, livestock and poultry, legumes, leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, fruits, roots, tubers, condiments, fish, commercial crops, CPI/Inflation rate.

Generated Outputs

1. Databank on different levels of price information - (January to December)
2. Publication of Price Reports
3. Facilitated the data needs of researchers - (January to December)