BAGUIO CITY – More than 83 percent of the country’s major agricultural crops, specifically cabbage, carrots and potatoes, are mainly produced by farmers in the Cordillera, a report from the Cordillera office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-CAR) stated.
The total crop production of the Cordillera which was equivalent to 262,283, metric tons form bulk of the 315,469 of cabbage, carrots and white potato produced in the country for the year 2014.
The PSA-Car report stated the volume of production of the three crops increased by 0.7 percent during the said year as compared with the 1313,296 metric tons output of 2013.
Following the Cordillera in terms of crop production was Davao Region with a share of 4.8 percent equivalent to 15,189 metric tons and Northern Mindanao at 4.5 percent equivalent to 14.119 metric tons.
From 1990 to 2014, the Cordillera remained as the primary producer of cabbage, carrots and white potatoes in the country. Its total production is composed of 39.04 percent white potato with a volume of 102,255 metric tons, 38 percent cabbage or 99,520 metric tons and 23.1 percent of carrots with a volume of 60,507 metric tons.
The PSA-CAR report revealed among the provinces in the Cordillera, Benguet had the largest ptorduction of the crops since it had the widest farming area for the three crops and has a temprate weather suitable in the production of highland crops.
It was learned that the Cordillera as a 77.8 percent of cabbage production in the country because of the 127,986 metric tons total cabbage production in the country in 2014, vegetable farmers in the Cordillera produced the highest at 77.8 percent followed by Central Visayas at 6.8 percent and Northern Mindanao at 5.2 percent.
From 127,464 metric tons in 2013, the PSA-CAR stated that production of cabbage decreased in the region the following year by 437 metric tons or a decline of 0.4 percent due to reported damages caused by Typhoon Luis that crossed the Cordillera during the said period.
Cordillera farmers were able to harvest cabbage from a total land area of 3,367 hectares in 2014 and Benguet remained as the major producer of cabbage at 85.6 percent equivalent to 85,139 metric tons followed by Mountain Province with 13.9 percent or 13,844 metric tons.
In terms of carrot production, the Cordillera produces a total of 88.5 percent or 60,507 metric tons followed by Central Visayas with 5.3 percent or 3,632 metric tons.
Carrot production in the Cordillera increased by 231 metric tons or 0.3 percent due to the fair weather condition in the second semester of 2014.
Among the Cordillera provinces, Benguet contributed the biggest share of 55,786 metric tons or 92.2 percent of the regional production followed by Mountain Province with 4,202 metric tons or 6.9 percent and Ifugao with 519 metric tons or 0.9 percent.
On the other hand, the Cordillera was able to produce 86 percent of the country’s white potato of the 119,140 metric tons produced in the different parts of the country in 2014 followed by Davao Region with 8.1 percent or 9,634 metric tons and Northern Mindanao with 5.2 percent or 6,145 metric tons.
The PSA-CAR revealed the white potato region production by the Cordillera increased by 1.2 percent or 1,418 metric tons from the previous year’s 117,721 metric tons due to the increase of area harvested in the different parts of the region.
Among the Cordillera provinces, Benguet continues to have the highest share of 87.9 percent or 89,918 metric tons followed by Mountain Province with 11.9 percent or 12,195 metric tons.
Because of the data obtained, the Cordillera remains to be the major producer of semi-temperate vegetables providing adequate supply to the various markets in Metro Manila and the lowland communities.
By Dexter A. See
