AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE
Western Visayas’ agricultural production continues to inch up despite the natural calamities that hit the region, including pests and diseases. The value of production in agriculture and fisheries at the current price slid up by 20 percent from CY 2021 to 2023. The value of crops, poultry, and fisheries production expanded by 29.84 percent, 35.67 percent, and 2.10 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the value of production of livestock slid down by -2.68 percent. In 2023, agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing (AHFF) registered a growth rate of 2.92 percent compared to the previous year. The 2023 report on the economic performance of Western Visayas showed that AHFF decreased by 2.92 percent from its 2022 performance. Despite this slow movement, AHFF was observed as one of the main drivers of the increase in the Western Visayas economy. The services sector accounted for 62 percent of the region’s total economy among the major industries in 2023. Industry shared 23 percent while AHFF shared 15 percent.
In 2023, palay production posted a negative growth rate of -2.52 percent. This was brought about by unfavorable weather condition, occurrence of pests and diseases which affected the yield of palay in the region. It is also noted a decrease of 2.20 percent in the area harvested. Western Visayas remains as the third largest rice producing region in
the country contributing a 11.28 percent. The province of Iloilo is the major source of palay in the region accounting for 47 percent of the total regional rice production followed by Negros Occidental and Capiz with 21 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Palay sufficiency declined from 120 percent in 2022 to 118 percent in 2023.
In terms of corn production, the region got an average of 4.32 percent share for the past seven years to the national corn production consistently ranking 6th among regions. Corn slowed down its production with a decrease of -6.52 percent from 2022 to 2023.
Corn Production and Growth Rates, CY 2018-2023.
Distribution of Production by Province, CY 2023.
Negros Occidental has the largest contribution to the regional production with 41 percent followed by Iloilo and Capiz with 35 percent and 19 percent share respectively.
In the area of high value crops, priority commodities of the region such as coconut, cacao, banana, and mango recorded an increase of 0.58 percent, 3.79 percent, 2.21 percent, and 6.51 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, abaca, sugarcane, watermelon, and vegetables experienced a challenging production performance.
Growth Rates of some High Value Crops, CY 2021
The region’s livestock subsector posted an increase in its production growth rate. Commodities such as carabao, cattle, hog, chicken, duck, and duck eggs recorded an increase of 1.92 percent, 0.68 percent, 2.55 percent, 2.75 percent, 3.32 percent, and 2.4 percent respectively. Meanwhile, goat and chicken eggs growth rate slide down to 1.28 percent and 2.1 percent respectively. In terms of regional standing relative to national production, Western Visayas maintained its rank as the top carabao producing region, 2nd in duck eggs, 3rd in hogs and in ducks, 4th in cattle and chicken, 5th in chicken eggs, and 6th in goat.
Growth Rates in Livestock and Poultry Production, CY 2023.