The corn production in the Ilocos Region in 2nd quarter 2021 increased by 3.64 percent. From the output of 168,176 metric tons in the same period last year, it went up to 174,297 metric tons this 2nd quarter 2021. The harvest area expanded from 28,937 hectares to 28,970 hectares. The yield per hectare also increased from 5.81 metric tons to 6.02 metric tons. The Ilocos Region ranked second among the regions in the country in terms of volume of corn production and yield per hectare during the period.
The provinces of Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan managed to record positive growth in corn output, while Ilocos Norte experienced contraction.
About 92.98 percent of the total corn production of the Ilocos Region in 2nd quarter 2021 were yellow corn. In terms of the area harvested, yellow corn comprised 89.43 percent while 10.57 percent were white corn.
Bulk of corn harvest came from Pangasinan. During the period, the province recorded 102,866 metric tons volume of corn production. This is higher by 4.27 percent from the 98,656 metric tons output in the same period last year. The harvest area remained stable at 16,747 hectares. About 94.03 percent of the total area harvested were yellow corn. On the other hand, the yield per hectare went up from 5.89 metric tons to 6.14 metric tons during the period.
The volume of corn production in Ilocos Sur increased in 2nd quarter 2021. The output was posted at 45,698 metric tons, or 10.12 percent higher than the record in 2nd quarter 2020 of 41,497 metric tons. The harvest area also went up from 7,253 hectares to 7,603 hectares. Yellow corn comprised 86.03 percent of the total corn area harvested in the province, while the remaining were white corn. Meanwhile, the yield per hectare improved from 5.72 metric tons to 6.01 metric tons. The province ranked second in terms of volume of corn production in 2nd quarter 2021 with 26.22 percent share.
Ilocos Norte ranked third among the four provinces of the region in terms of volume of corn production in 2nd quarter 2021. The province registered a production of 14,199 metric tons, lower by 14.09 percent from the output in 2nd quarter 2020 of 16,527 metric tons. The harvest area decreased from 2,717 metric tons to 2,389 metric tons in the 2nd quarter 2021. The yield per hectare, likewise, declined from 6.08 metric tons to 5.94 metric tons. Yellow corn dominated the corn areas of the province sharing 88.36 percent.
The province of La Union produced 11,534 metric tons of corn during the 2nd quarter 2021. This is 0.33 percent higher than the output in the previous year of the same period. The harvest area also increased to 2,231 hectares from the 2,220 hectares in 2nd quarter 2020.
However, the yield per hectare slightly decreased from 5.18 metric tons to 5.17 metric tons.
SGD. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN
Officer-in-Charge, RSSO I
