The total harvested area for palay in the province of Ilocos Norte was estimated at 43, 173 hectares in the fourth quarter of 2018, or 4.34 percent lower than the 2017 estimate of the same period. By ecosystem, the area harvested from irrigated palay dominated the total palay area in the province with 32, 475 hectares. The output was lower by 4.79 percent or a decrease of 1, 635 hectares compared to the same quarter of 2017. Also, rainfed palay harvested area was 2.30 percent lower than the 10, 043 hectares harvested in the same period of 2017. Likewise, upland areas went down by 9.59 percent or 94 hectares from 980  to 868 hectares. The figure below shows the Palay area harvested for the  fourth quarter, 2017 and 2018.

The average yield of Palay in the province of Ilocos Norte went down by 16.98 percent, from 4.96 metric tons in fourth quarter of 2017 to 4.12 metric tons in 2018 of the same quarter. By ecosystem, all posted a decrease in yield. Irrigated palay went down from 5.15 to 4.17 metric tons per hectare, rainfed palay from 4.44 to 4.03, and upland palay from 3.80 to 3.36 metric tons per hectare output (Figure 4).

Corn

Corn production in the province of Ilocos Norte slightly went up by 1.11 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to same period last year.  A total of 2, 646 metric tons were harvested in fourth quarter of 2018. This is higher by 29 metric tons compared to the 2017 production.

By ecosystem, white corn posted a production of 697 metric tons. This is 12.78 percent higher than last year’s record of 618 metric tons. On the other hand, yellow corn was 2.50 percent lower with 1,949 metric tons volume of harvest compared to 2017 production of 1, 999 metric tons. (Figure 5).

The province of Ilocos Norte ranked second among the four provinces in Ilocos Region in terms of corn production in the last quarter of 2018. From the Region’s total production of 7, 924 metric tons, about 33 percent came from Ilocos Norte. The province of Ilocos Sur topped the rank with 36 percent share. The province of Pangasinan ranked third with 16 percent share and La Union ranked fourth with 15 percent contribution (Figure 6).

Total corn area  harvested in the province of Ilocos Norte for the fourth quarter of 2018 was 600 hectares. This was 4.35 percent higher than the total harvested corn area of 575 hectares in 2017 of the same period. By ecosystem, the area harvested for yellow corn dominated the total corn harvested area with 380 hectares. The output was the same compared to the same quarter of 2017. On the other hand, white corn areas increased by 12.82 percent or 25 hectares higher than the the same period of 2017 (Figure 7).

The average yield of corn in the province of Ilocos Norte posted a decrease of 3.10 percent in fourth quarter of 2018. The fourth quarter 2017 yield of 4.55 metric tons per hectare went down to 4.41 metric tons per hectare in 2018 of the same period. By ecosystem, yield for yellow corn ecosystems declined from 5.26 to 5.14 while white corn retained its 3.17 yield for this quarter (Figure 8).

TECHNICAL NOTES

The Palay and Corn Production Survey (PCPS) covers sample farming household in sample barangays in all provinces except Batanes but including Zamboanga and Davao Cities. This is conducted quarterly with the quarters as the reference periods, as follows.

April Round Survey – January to March

July Round Survey – April to June

October Round Survey – July to September

January Round Survey – October to December

The objective of the survey is to generate estimates and forecasts on palay/orn area, production and yield.

The purpose of this survey is to provide data inputs for policy and programs on rice and corn.

SGD. ALEJANDRO G. RAPACON, JR.

Chief Statistical Specialist