Northern Mindanao post increased rice and corn yield in 2017 - PSA

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed the positive increase of rice and corn production at 3.57 percent and 4.01 percent, respectively, for Northern Mindanao for the calendar year 2017.

The PSA presented the data during the CY 2017 Commodity Production Performance Assessment of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) in Opol, Misamis Oriental.


Highlighting the production growth were attributed to the increase in harvested area and yield through the use of high yielding variety seeds.  Further, due to the sufficient water supply and favorable weather condition on the period.

PSO Osler M. Mejares, Ma. Liza M. Bigornia and Statistical Specialist II, Ma. Evangeline Non of PSA 10 presented the regional production performances of major crops, livestock, and poultry, cereal, and fishery.

DA-RFO 10 OIC-Regional Director Carlene C. Collado affirmed on the Department's promotion on the use of hybrid rice seeds to increase rice production and help the government attain its sufficiency goal by 2020.

Citing the promotion of hybrid rice seeds is one of the strategies being pursued by DA to increase rice output.  Aside from the use of hybrid rice seeds, Dir. Collado said that DA would implement other strategies: access to credit/loans, access to right marketing and the provision of post-harvest facilities.

Based on the volume of production in the livestock subsector, hog has the highest growth rate at 6.07 percent in 2017 compared in 2016 followed by carabao at 1.64 percent.  On the other hand, for poultry subsector, the chicken egg has the highest growth rate at 6.10 percent, chicken at 4.11 percent and duck egg at 1.74 percent.

Among the major crops, banana posted the highest percent change on the volume of production at 4.30 percent followed by calamansi and pineapple at 2.90 and 1.92 percents, respectively, for the period of January to September 2017.

For major and priority non-food and industrial crops, sugarcane's percent change on the volume of production surges at 60.12 percent followed by tobacco, rubber, abaca, and coffee.

Meanwhile, for priority non-crops, palm fruit has the highest percent change in the volume of production at 9.65 percent, cacao (dried beans with pulp) at 5.99 percent.

The fishery sector has mostly negative growth rate production except for marine cage under the aquaculture subsector at 14.79 percent increase.

Importantly, Dir. Collado said that even with the negative production on some sub-sectors, still, it could help determine the reduction and increase of production which serves as a guide in re-aligning the programs to regain its production.

To top it all, he stressed that the data presented would be utilized as a basis for policy direction of DA.  He posed a challenge to the participants composed of PLGUs, city vets, representatives of DA's attached agencies and line bureaus, industry presidents (mango, banana, rubber, among others) on President Rodrigo Duterte's directive which is to provide available and affordable food for everyone.

The Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) of DA-RFO 10 led the activity with its Chief, Cora Dumayaca who was supported by the Chief of AFD, Lester A. Jaducana who gave the welcome message of the activity. [DA-RFO 10]