By Mariela Angella Oladive
Corn production in Western Visayas dropped by 26.6 percent in the second quarter of 2024, according to a recent report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office VI.
The region’s total output was recorded at 25,409 metric tons (MT), a significant decline from the 34,640 MT produced during the same period in 2023.
The report also highlighted a parallel decrease in the area harvested for corn, which shrank by 27.7 percent—from 14,576 hectares in Q2 2023 to 10,533 hectares in Q2 2024.
White corn production saw a 44.8 percent decrease, dropping from 11,258 MT to 6,219 MT. Yellow corn production also declined, though at a lesser rate of 17.9 percent, from 23,381 MT to 19,190 MT.
The area harvested for white corn decreased by 34.4 percent, from 7,108 hectares in 2023 to 4,662 hectares in 2024. Similarly, the area harvested for yellow corn dropped by 21.4 percent, from 7,468 hectares to 5,871 hectares during the same period.
Among the provinces in the region, Capiz led in corn production, contributing 43.7 percent of the total output for the quarter. It was followed by Negros Occidental at 28.5 percent, Antique at 14.9 percent, and Iloilo at 11.5 percent.
In contrast to the regional trend, Capiz saw a 25.5 percent increase in its harvested area. However, other provinces like Negros Occidental and Iloilo experienced substantial declines in harvested areas—by 32.4 percent and 56.8 percent, respectively.
