Explanatory Notes
This special release presents the Corn Production of Cagayan Valley for the first quarter of 2024. The data include the estimates of corn volume of production, area harvested and yield per hectare for analysis which serve as basis for policy making and for programs and projects on corn farming. The data provided in this special release were taken from the latest available data of the Corn Production Survey (CPS) spearheaded by the Crops Statistics Division, Economic Sector Statistics Service, Sectoral Statistics Office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The information presented in this special release was taken from www.openstat.psa.gov.ph.

In the first quarter of 2024, the region's corn production reached an estimated 720,310 metric tons, marking a significant increase of 15.3 percent compared to the recorded 624,588 metric tons during the first quarter of 2023. This latest production represents the highest output achieved in the region over the past five years. Conversely, the lowest recorded output within the period was noted in 2020 at 485,289 metric tons, but expanded to 565,580 metric tons the following year. Notably, a consistent upward trend in production has been observed over the past five years. This year's output cemented the region's position as the unrivaled leader in corn production to date, accounting for approximately 28.0 percent of the nation's total corn production.

The region's corn production experienced a significant rise in both output and area harvested in the first quarter of 2024. This year, the area harvested reached a lofty record of 161,046 hectares, an increase of 25,194 hectares compared to the previous year. This upward trend in the area harvested has been consistent, except from a slight dip noted in 2022. 

Over the past five years, the commitment to corn cultivation has remained steadfast, with the planted area consistently surpassing one hundred thousand hectares for the first quarter. This signifies not only the region's agricultural prowess but also its vital contribution to the national corn production landscape.

In terms of productivity per hectare, the region recorded a continuous decline since last year’s first quarter. With a yield of 4.47 metric tons per hectare, this marks the second lowest recorded yield in the past five years in the region. Compared to the previous year, productivity posted a decrease of 2.72 sacks (50 kilograms/sack), for every hectare harvested. Examining the five-year period, the lowest recorded productivity was in 2020 at 4.42 metric tons per hectare. Per report, the impact of climate change has led to a decline in productivity per unit measure in the region, with El Niño being the major contributor to the downward trend.

More than 99.0 percent of the region's total corn production in 2024 consists of yellow corn, with less than one percent allocated to white corn intended for human consumption. Corollary, yellow corn area dominates accounting for 99.3 percent of the region's total harvest area of 159,906 hectares, an increase of 25,201 hectares compared to the previous year. On the contrary, the area harvested for white corn decreased by seven hectares, dropping from 1,147 hectares in 2023 to 1,140 hectares in the current year. This significant contrast in area harvested reflects the predominant focus on yellow corn cultivation in the region.

As usual, Isabela province emerged as the primary contributor to corn production in the region. The province produced approximately 440,431 metric tons of corn, an increase of 74,729 metric tons from its output in the preceding year. Thus, Isabela accounts for a significant contribution of more than sixty percent (61.14 percent) to the total corn produced in the region.

Despite the slight decrease in output, Isabela province demonstrated a positive trend in area harvested, recording an increase to 98,692 hectares, which is up by 18,289 hectares compared to the previous year.

This expansion solidified Isabela's position as the leading supplier of corn in the country. Despite the increase in area harvested in the province, a slight dip in productivity per hectare was noted. The productivity decreased by 1.88 sacks at 50 kilograms, from an average of 4.55 metric tons per hectare in 2023 to 4.46 metric tons per hectare in 2024.

Meanwhile, Cagayan province, positioned as the second-largest corn producer in the region and managed to marginally surpass its production from the previous year. With a modest increase of 5.83 percent, production rose by 11,008 metric tons, reaching 199,712 metric tons in 2024 as compared to 188,704 metric tons in 2023. This recorded production in the province accounting to 27.72 percent of the region's total output. The increase in production can be attributed to the area harvested with an uptick of 8.57 percent, from 40,244 hectares in 2023 to 43,693 hectares in 2024.

Despite the increase in area harvested, a decrease in the productivity was noted. The derived yield declined by 2.52 sacks per hectare, from 4.69 metric tons in the previous year to 4.57 metric tons per unit area in the current year. 

Further, Nueva Vizcaya province contributed 4.23 percent to the region's overall corn output during the first quarter of the reference year. Its overall contribution to production was captured from a slight increase of about 48.0 metric tons compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Moreover, the province recorded an upward trend in harvest area and a downward trend in yield during the first quarter of 2024. Harvest area increased by 9.19 percent from 6,537 hectares to 7,138 hectares. Additionally, the yield per hectare decreased from 4.65 metric tons to 4.27 metric tons, translating to a drop of 8.28 percent compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, Quirino province contributed 6.88 percent to the region's total corn production output. Upward trend was evident as production significantly increase from 39,637 metric tons in 2023 to 49,559 metric tons in the current year, reflecting an uptick of 9,922 metric tons. Area harvested in the province also experienced an increase from 8,620 hectares to 11,464 hectares this year, marking an increment of 2,844 hectares. Despite the increase in both production and area harvested, a decline was noted in the yield of the province, from 4.60 metric tons in 2023 to 4.32 metric tons in the current year.  

Despite its relatively minor contribution of less than one percent to the total corn output of the region, Batanes province has defied expectations by registering upward trends in terms of production volume, and harvest area, but a decline in yield per hectare. These positive indicators suggest potential improvements in agricultural practices or favorable conditions for corn cultivation in the province.

TECHNICAL NOTES
Estimates of volume of corn production are generated from the Quarterly Corn Production Survey (CPS) of which there are four survey rounds in a year, that is, January, April, July and October. 

The objective of the survey is to generate estimates on corn production.  The purpose of this survey is to provide data inputs for policy and programs on corn.  The reference and enumeration periods by survey round are as follows:

Definition of terms
Production – refers to the quantity produced and actually harvested during the reference period.  It includes those harvested but damaged, stolen, given away, consumed, given as harvester’s share, reserved, etc.  Production from seed growers is excluded from the survey.

White corn – type of corn used primarily for human consumption.

Yellow corn – used generally as feed grains.  It includes all types of corn other than white.

ENGR. GIRME M. BAYUCAN
(Chief Statistical Specialist)
Officer-in-Charge, RSSO II

/emdp/jcb