The development and maintenance of statistical frameworks on economic accounts and indicators for agriculture facilitate the continuing development of the agricultural data systems. The use of statistical frameworks enhances the preparation of an integrated system of agricultural statistics. In the course of developing, maintaining and improving the agricultural economic accounts and indicators systems, a number of statistical reports are being released by the Bureau at designated frequencies and schedules. However, data users and researchers can avail of specific data or data tables in - between releases of reports.

1. Economic Accounts for Agriculture

The system of economic accounts for agriculture provides the conceptual and accounting framework for the collection and analysis of agricultural statistics. Presently, the BAS is maintaining two important components of the economic accounts namely; production accounts and supply utilization accounts. The maintenance of these accounts yields the following statistical outputs:

1. Report on the Performance of Agriculture - quarterly (42 to 45 days after end of Quarters 1, 2, and 3; 25 days after Q 4
2. Regional Agricultural Production Accounts - annual (August)
3. National Supply and Utilization Accounts - annual (October)
4. ASIAN Supply and Utilization Accounts - annual (March)

2. Agricultural Indicators System

This system complements the economic accounts for agriculture. It provides tools for characterizing the agricultural economy of the country as it also helps in monitoring and assessing the impact of various policies. The maintenance of this system generates the following statistical outputs:

1. Development Indicators of Philippine Agriculture - annual (October)
2. Agricultural Development Trends: International Comparisons - biennial (September)
3. Producer Price Index for Agriculture - annual (September) Commodity Fact Sheets - annual (October)
4. Food Supply Indicators - annual (October) Selected Macroeconomic Indicators - annual (March)

3. Agricultural Labor Survey

This is a household - based survey being conducted semi-annually for palay and corn farm households and annually for coconut and sugarcane farm households. The main objective of the survey is to generate data on agricultural wage rates. The BAS uses this survey in generating gender-based statistics on wage rates and women participation in agricultural production. This survey produces the following statistical output:

1. Report on Trends in Agricultural Wages - semi-annual (March) and annual (November)

4. Costs and Returns Studies

Over the past three (3) years, the BAS had been able to conduct surveys on cost of production. Research funds from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) and Livestock Development Council (LDC) were provided to the Bureau. Benchmark data on cost of production for 30 commodities were established. Reports of survey results contain many important details on input use and other socio-economic characteristics of farmers. Annual updating of the production costs and returns data is being done in order to facilitate the use of such data. This activity generates the following statistical outputs:

1. Costs and Returns of Production (30 commodities contained in 23 publications) - once (released between 1998 to 2000)
2. Updated Production Costs and Returns of Palay and Corn - annual (September)
3. Updated Production Costs and Returns of Selected High Value Commercial Crops - annual (September)
4. Costs and Returns of Backyard Hog Production - once (July)
5. Costs and Returns of Commercial Hog Production - once (November)

5. Food Consumption Survey

This is a special survey conducted by the BAS in order to generate data on consumption of rice, corn, and other selected food items. The survey included inquiries about rice substitution and other food consumption practices. This activity produces the following statistical outputs:

1. Consumption of Selected Commodities in the Philippines - National and Regional Disaggregation, once (February)
2. Food Consumption Pattern, Regional and Provincial Disaggregation

6. Other Special Concerns

The BAS is implementing an FAO - assisted project entitled "Assistance in Processing, Analysis and Utilization of Farm Level Data. The overall objective is to improve farmers' productivity, efficiency and income through the institutionalization of improved and sustainable knowledge capacities on operational and financial management and planning for the primary sake of cooperative farmer - members. Apart from the specified outputs such as the installation of hardwares and softwares, the conduct of trainings on farm recording, processing, analysis, and utilization of farm level data, the project also produced manuals for farm level training or workshop and manuals for farm recording, data editing/checking and computer processing.