THE Philippine agriculture sector is seen to grow by 1 percent for the whole year of 2021 with sugarcane, palay (unmilled rice), corn and coconut leading the industry growth, a local economist said.

Speaking at the '2021 Mid-Year Food and Agribusiness Conference: Managing Philippine Food and Agribusiness in Uncertain Times' on Tuesday organized by the University of Asia and Pacific (UA&P), Dr. Rolando Dy, executive director of UA&P Center for Food and Agri Business, said the country will see a 'minimal' recovery for this year, citing the continuous ill-effects and impacts of various agricultural challenges such as the African swine fever (ASF).