PALAY

Palay production decreases by 2.36%

The January to March 2023 palay production in Bicol Region decreased to 278. 04 thousand metric tons or by 2.36% from the 284.75 thousand metric tons output in 2022. Yield per hectare declined to 3. 77 metric tons or by 1.43% in 2023 from 3.83 metric tons in 2022. Harvest area contracted to 73. 71 thousand hectares from previous year's record of 74.41 thousand hectares (Figure 1).

Production increments were noted in Albay (5.25%), Sorsogon (2.22%), and Camarines Sur (0.47%). On the other hand, decrements in output were reported in Camarines Norte (30.88%), Catanduanes (20.75%), and Masbate (0.16%) (Table 1).

Camarines Sur posted the highest production of irrigated palay with 108.80 thousand metric tons followed by Albay with 39. 13 thousand metric tons. Production of rainfed palay was also highest in Camarines Sur with 41. 09 thousand metric tons followed by Masbate with 28.84 thousand metric tons (Figure 2).

More than half of the harvested area for palay in Bicol Region is in Camarines Sur

Camarines Sur contributed 51.90% to the total harvested area for Palay in Bicol Region during the first quarter of 2023. Masbate and Albay had the next largest harvested areas with 17.49% and 15.09% shares, respectively. Catanduanes had the smallest area comprising 3.37% of the total harvested area (Figure 3).

Albay has the highest yield for palay in Bicol Region in the first quarter of 2023

Albay registered the highest yield of palay with 4.27 metric tons per hectare in the first quarter of 2023. This was followed by Camarines Norte and Sorsogon which both
yielded 4.25 metric tons per hectare. Catanduanes posted the lowest yield at 2.31
metric tons per hectare (Figure 4).

CORN

Corn production decreases by 0.94%

Corn output in January to March 2023 was estimated at 57.68 thousand metric tons. This was 0.94% lower than the 58.23 thousand metric tons recorded in previous year's same quarter. Harvest area expanded to 29.22 thousand hectares or by 1.45% from the 2022 level of 28.80 thousand hectares. Yield per hectare declined to 1.97 metric tons from 2. 02 metric tons in 2022 (Figure 5).

Output gain was registered in Albay (5.88%). On the other hand, decrements in production were noted in Catanduanes (80. 70% ), Sorsogon ( 15. 10% ), Camarines Sur (2.77%), Camarines Norte (0.40%), and Masbate (0.11%) (Table 2).

Production of white corn was highest in Masbate (12,589 metric tons) followed by Camarines Sur (6,436 metric tons), and Albay (1,045 metric tons). Meanwhile, yellow corn production was highest in Camarines Sur (28,534 metric tons) followed by Albay (7,900 metric tons), and Masbate (452 metric tons) (Figure 6).

More than half of harvested area for corn in Bicol Region is in Masbate

Fifty-six percent of harvested area for corn in Bicol Region during the first quarter of 2023 was in Masbate. Camarines Sur and Albay had the next largest harvested areas with 32.02% and 10.67% shares, respectively (Figure 7).

Camarines Sur has the highest yield for corn in Bicol Region in the first quarter of 2023

Camarines Sur registered the highest yield for corn with 3.74 metric tons per hectare in the first quarter of 2023. Albay followed with 2.87 metric tons while Catanduanes posted the lowest yield at 0.57 metric tons per hectare (Figure 8).

Technical Notes: 

Production refers to the quantity produced and actually harvested during the reference period. It includes those harvested but were damaged, stolen, given away, consumed, given as harvesters' and threshers' shares, reserved, etc. Palay production from seed growers which are intended for seed purposes is excluded from the survey.  Harvest area refers to the actual area from which harvests were realized. This excludes crop area that was totally damaged. It may be smaller than the area planted. Production and harvest area for palay and corn are generated from the Palay Production Survey (PPS) and Corn Production Survey (CPS), which have four survey rounds in a year; that is, January, April, July and October.