Cattle production in Ilocos Region decreased by 6.6 percent

The volume of cattle production from April to June 2024 was recorded at 5,380 metric tons, liveweight. This indicates a decline of 6.6 percent from the level of 5,760 metric tons, liveweight in 2023 of the same quarter.

Ilocos Region ranked 4th among the regions in the country with 8.8 percent share to the total national cattle production in second    quarter 2024.

Pangasinan was the top producer with 1,869 metric tons, liveweight or 34.73 percent share to the total production in the region in second quarter 2024. This followed by Ilocos Norte    and Ilocos    Sur with corresponding production of 1,793 and 1,136 metric tons, liveweight, respectively. La Union has the least contribution with a 10.83 percent share to the total production of the region (Figure 3).

Cattle population in Ilocos Region increases

As of 01 July 2024, the total cattle inventory in the region reached 270,923 heads. This indicates an increase of 11.6 percent from the 2023 of same reference period’s count of 250,094 heads. Compared to the inventory as of 01 April 2024, it decreased by 3.0 percent, equivalent to 8,330 heads (Table 2).

About 95.54 percent of cattle population in the region comprised of smallhold farms while the 3.52 percent and 0.94 percent came from semi-commercial farms and commercial farms, respectively.

Increases in cattle population as of 01 July 2024 were noted in Pangasinan and La Union by 54.3 percent, and 1.2 percent, respectively, compared to the same reference date in 2023. On the other hand, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte posted decreases in inventory as of 01 July 2024 by 9.8 percent, and 1.8 percent, respectively.

About 36.1 percent of the region’s cattle population as of 01 July 2024 came from Pangasinan, followed by Ilocos Norte with 28.0 percent share. The remaining 18.8 percent and 17.1 percent was contributed by Ilocos Sur and La Union, respectively.

Farmgate Price

The average farmgate price of cattle for slaughter in second quarter 2024 was quoted at PhP258.61 per kilogram, liveweight. This indicates an increase of 13.1 percent from the average farmgate price of PhP228.71 per kilogram, liveweight in second quarter 2023.

The highest price recorded in the second quarter 2024 was PhP270.09 per kilogram, liveweight in May.

SGD. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN
Regional Director, RSSO I