Crop output drops on Yolanda damage, pest infestation

MANILA, Philippines - The lingering effects of Super Typhoon Yolanda, plant pests and diseases, and shifting to the cultivation of high-value fruit crops affected the production of some of the country’s top industrial crops during the second quarter of the year, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

Among the country’s top industrial crops are coconut, abaca, coffee rubber, sugarcane and tobacco.

In its latest Major Non-Food and Industrial Crops bulletin, the PSA said coconut production in the April to June  period fell 4.4 percent in terms of volume to 3.44 million metric tons (MT) compared to 3.60 million MT in the same period last year.

Production of  nuts declined as production areas in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran in Eastern Visayas; Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, and Antique in Western Visayas; Quezon, Romblon, and Surigao del Norte – that were all slighted by Yolanda last year –  are still recovering from damage.   

The prevailing coconut scale insect infestation in Batangas, Quezon, Laguna, Cavite and Basilan also lowered production.

Production of abaca fiber fell 2.8 percent in the second quarter to 18, 860 MT from 19, 400 MT in the comparative period last year  as abaca farms in Leyte, Eastern Samar and Samar have not yet fully recovered from the damage caused by Yolanda in November last year.

Incidences of bunchy top disease was also reported in the municipalities of Bontoc, Sogod, St. Bernard and Maasin in Southern Leyte.

In the provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, however, production increases were seen as harvest area grew. Weather was also favorable for drying abaca fiber.

Good prices also encouraged abaca farmers in Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Sulu.

Coffee production in the second quarter of the year fell 2.5 percent to 9, 470 MT from 9, 720 MT in the same period last year. Production of Arabica coffee fell 3.1 percent, Excelsa 1.4 percent, Liberica 10.9 percent and Robusta 2.4 percent.  

Production fell during the period as some farmers in Compostela Valley shifted to se-norita and Cavendish bananas while some farmers in Davao City shifted to lakatan and Cavendish banana.  

Coffee trees in Leyte were still recovering from the onslaught of Yolanda.

In Cavite, where many coffee trees are old and fertilized less, yield fell as some farmers shifted to pineapple production.

Of the total coffee production in the second quarter of the year, 59.8 percent were Robusta, 27.9 percent were Arabica, 11.6 percent were Excelsa, and 0.6 percent were Liberica.

Soccskargen remained as the country’s top-producing region.

Rubber production rose 5.3 percent in the second quarter of the year to 120, 670 MT from 114, 560 MT as more trees were tapped in Basilan, North Cotabato, Aguan del Sur, Bukidnon, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay, Palawan and Negros Oriental.

Sugarcane production rose 4.3 percent to 3.17 million MT in the second quarter of the year from 3.04 million MT in the same period last year.

Production of sugarcane for centrifugal sugar expanded three percent because of efficient use of fertilizer in Negros Occidental resulting in higher yield.

Harvest area also increased in Capiz, Iloilo and Cebu because of favorable weather for harvesting. 

Production of sugarcane for ethanol production rose 46.5 percent as harvest peaked in Isabela.

Western Visayas was the top sugar production region in the country during the period, producing half of the aggregate volume during the second quarter.

Production of tobacco of all varieties rose 17.3 percent in April to June to 48, 500 MT from 41, 360 MT in the comparative period last year.

Production of Virginia tobacco increased 14.2 percent to 19, 560 MT from 17, 130 MT in 2013. Output of other varieties of tobacco, mostly Burley, went up 35.9 percent to 19, 800 MT from 14, 570 MT in 2013.

Growth in production volume was attributed to expansion of harvest area as farmers were encouraged to plant because of good prices.

Ilocos Region, the top tobacco producing region during the second quarter constituted 59.7 percent of the aggregate volume.