Ilocos Region’s carabao production declined by 5.8 percent

Carabao production in Ilocos Region dropped by 5.8 percent in the first quarter of 2025. The output was recorded at 1,846 metric tons, liveweight from 1,960 metric tons, liveweight in 2024 of the same quarter.

In the first quarter of 2025, Ilocos Region ranked eighth among the regions, with a contribution of 1,846 metric tons, liveweight or equal to 6.5 percent share to the nationwide total of 28,518 metric tons, liveweight.

Pangasinan was the leading producer of carabao in Ilocos Region contributing over half of the region’s total output with 56.1 percent or equivalent to 1,037 metric tons, liveweight in the first quarter of 2025. This was followed by Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur with corresponding production of 329 metric tons, liveweight (17.8 percent) and 283 metric tons, liveweight (15.4 percent). La Union had the smallest share of 197 metric tons, liveweight accounting for 10.7 percent of the region's total carabao production.

Carabao population in Ilocos Region went down by 4.1 percent

As of 01 January 2025, Ilocos Region’s total carabao population was recorded at 135,755 heads. This showed a drop in population of 4.1 percent from the 141,612 heads recorded in 2024 of the same reference period.

Among the provinces, only Ilocos Sur showed increase in the carabao population, with 7.2 percent. In contrast, the province of Pangasinan posted the largest decline of 18.2 percent, followed by Ilocos Norte and La Union with 1.1 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

As of 01 January 2025, about 98.4 percent of the region’s carabao inventory is composed of smallhold farms, with a record of 133,579. Semi-commercial and commercial farms, on the other hand, had shares of 1,634 (1.2 percent) and 542 (0.4 percent), respectively.

Farmgate Price

The average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter was quoted at PhP216.37 per kilogram, liveweight during the first quarter 2025. This was lower by 4.6 percent compared to the first quarter 2024 average farmgate price of PhP226.90 per kilogram, liveweight. 

March of the first quarter 2025 had the highest farmgate price, observed at PhP220.33 per kilogram, liveweight.

For the Regional Director:

SGD: TERESA B. OLARTE
Supervising Statistical Specialist
Officer-in-Charge, SOCD
(Officer-in-Charge, RSSO 01)
Per SO No. RSSO I-2505-0290
Dated 23 May 2025