Carabao production in Ilocos Region decreased by 6.14 percent
The total carabao production in IIocos Region recorded 3,860.74 metric tons liveweight in second semester 2023. This was 6.14 percent lower than the 4,113.38 metric tons of the same period in 2022.
Ilocos Region contributed 5.71 percent (Figure 2) to the national production of 67,636.29 metric tons liveweight, ranking 11th among the Carabao producing regions in the country.
Pangasinan contributed 51.82 percent of carabao production
Pangasinan has the highest production recording 2,000.70 metric tons liveweight in second semester 2023 (Figure 3). This is 51.82 percent of the region’s carabao production. Ilocos Norte followed with 866.62 metric tons liveweight contributing 22.45 percent in the production. La Union has the least contribution in terms of production sharing 9.55 percent or 368.74 metric tons.
Carabao inventory in the region as of July and October 2023 decreases
The total headcount of carabao in Ilocos Region as of 01 July 2023 was 156,710 heads (Table 1). It showed a decrease of 8.11 percent compared to the inventory of 144,005 heads as of 01 July 2022. Likewise, carabao inventory as of 01 Oct 2023 registered a decrease of 7.27 percent over the 2022 levels of the same reference date.
Increases in carabao population as of 01 July 2023 were noted in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte by 2.14 percent, and 0.36 percent, respectively, compared to the same reference date in 2022. On the other hand, Pangasinan and La Union posted decreases in inventory as of 01 July 2023 by 18.75 percent, and 8.42 percent, respectively.
As of 01 October 2023, only the province of Ilocos Sur increased by 4.59 percent in terms of the number of carabao headcounts compared to the same reference date in 2022.
Farmgate Price
The average farm price of carabao for slaughter in backyard farms in the second semester 2023 was PhP215.07 per kilo liveweight. This was higher by 0.34 percent than the average price of PhP214.35 per kilo liveweight in second semester 2022.
The highest price recorded in the second semester 2023 was PhP224.00 per kilo in November.
SDG. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN, CPA
Regional Director, RSSO I
