Guimaras recorded a 1.72 percent increase in corn production in the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching 296 metric tons from 291 metric tons in the same period in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Guimaras.
The total area harvested in the province rose significantly to 155 hectares, a 59.79 percent jump from 97 hectares in the fourth quarter of the previous year.
Both white and yellow corn varieties showed modest gains in output.
White corn production increased by 2.34 percent, or 3 metric tons, rising from 128 metric tons in 2023 to 131 metric tons in 2024.
Yellow corn grew by 1.23 percent, or 2 metric tons, reaching 165 metric tons from 163 metric tons.
The area harvested to white corn reached 85 hectares, up 63.46 percent from 52 hectares in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Yellow corn harvest area expanded by 55.56 percent, reaching 70 hectares from 45 hectares year over year.
Regionwide, Negros Occidental remained the top corn-producing province, accounting for 56.54 percent of Western Visayas’ total output.
It was followed by Iloilo at 26.33 percent and Capiz at 15.48 percent.
Guimaras, however, contributed only 0.64 percent of the region’s total corn production.
Despite its small share, Guimaras posted the highest increase in area harvested across Western Visayas with a 59.79 percent growth, ahead of Iloilo’s 30.36 percent and Capiz’s 10.11 percent.
Overall, the region’s total area harvested for corn declined by 4,943 hectares or 26.07 percent due to significant reductions in Aklan (47.44 percent), Negros Occidental (37.63 percent), and Antique (26.87 percent).
Negros Occidental held the largest share of the regional corn area harvested at 67.06 percent but contributed negatively to the regional change with a 29.91 percentage point decline.
Iloilo accounted for 19.60 percent of the regional corn area, increasing from 2,108 hectares in 2023 to 2,748 hectares in 2024.
Capiz contributed 10.95 percent, also registering a 10.11 percent increase in harvested area.
In contrast, Guimaras, Antique and Aklan made smaller contributions to the regional total, with 1.11 percent, 0.70 percent and 0.58 percent shares, respectively.
Their percentage point contributions to the region’s overall change were 0.31 percent for Guimaras, -0.19 percent for Antique and -0.39 percent for Aklan.
