By Mariela Angella Oladive
Sugarcane production in Western Visayas experienced a sharp decline in the second quarter of 2024, registering a 52.1 percent drop, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Production fell from 1,336,556 metric tons (MT) in the same period last year to 640,320 MT this year, marking a substantial decrease.
Negros Occidental, the region’s largest sugarcane producer, accounted for 94.8 percent of the total output, while Iloilo contributed 4.9 percent.
The provinces of Antique and Capiz made up the remaining 0.3 percent.
Vegetable and Root Crop Production
In addition to sugarcane, vegetable and root crop production in the region also saw significant contributions from Negros Occidental and Iloilo, which together accounted for more than half of the total output of major vegetables and root crops, except for cabbage.
Cassava production, the highest among all major vegetables and root crops, reached 15,600 MT in the second quarter of 2024.
Negros Occidental contributed nearly half (44.8 percent) of the total, followed by Aklan with 23.3 percent, and Iloilo with 15.6 percent.
Sweet potato (camote) production was strong, totaling 12,543 MT. Negros Occidental provided 61.8 percent of the output, with Iloilo contributing 18.9 percent.
For eggplant, tomato, and onion production, Iloilo emerged as the top producer in the region, supplying more than 80 percent of the total output for each crop.
The province accounted for 83.9 percent of the 8,307 MT of eggplant, 87.4 percent of the 2,704 MT of tomatoes, and 97.4 percent of the 977 MT of onions harvested.
Ampalaya production saw notable contributions from Iloilo, Capiz, and Negros Occidental, which accounted for 37.2 percent, 21.7 percent, and 14.3 percent, respectively, of the 916 MT produced.
Meanwhile, mongo (mungbean) production was estimated at 797 MT, with Iloilo leading the output at 66.1 percent, followed by Antique at 16.8 percent and Aklan at 7.1 percent. Negros Occidental contributed 4.6 percent, with other provinces adding less than 5 percent each.
In contrast to other crops, Aklan led the region’s cabbage production, contributing 62.7 percent of the total 84 MT, followed by Antique at 20.5 percent and Capiz at 18.1 percent.
