During January to March 2023, the total volume of corn production in the MIMAROPA Region was estimated at 59,175 metric tons. Among provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro’s corn production of 51,812 metric tons got the highest share of 87.0 percent in the regional production of corn. This was followed by the production in Palawan of 5,208 metric tons with a corresponding 10.7 percent share in the total corn production of the region. Meanwhile, the combined corn production from Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, and Marinduque of 1,095 metric tons was accounted to the remaining 1.7 percent share in the MIMAROPA’s total corn production.

A total of 56,905 metric tons of corns produced in the MIMAROPA Region were mostly yellow. This accounts to a 96.2 percent of the total volume of corn production in the region. Yellow corns were predominantly produced in Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Marinduque with corresponding share of 98.8 percent, 90.4 percent, 81.5 percent, and 60.5 percent to the total corn production in their respective province. Meanwhile, corns produced in Romblon were predominantly white which accounted to an estimated 82.6 percent share of their total corn production.

Volume of corn production up by 21.9 percent

MIMAROPA Region’s corn production of 59,175 metric tons during January to March 2023 was higher by 10,629 metric tons or 21.9 percent with respect to the regional production of 48,546 metric tons from first quarter of 2021. Occidental Mindoro significantly contributed to the increase by 9,569 metric tons or 22.7 percent rise in the regional corn production. This was followed by 545 metric tons upsurge from 
Oriental Mindoro (153.0% increase), 403 metric tons addition from Marinduque (184.9% increase), and 277 metric tons gain from Romblon (5.3% increase).

During January to March 2023, an increase in the regional corn production was noted on both white and yellow corns. Yellow corns produced in the MIMAROPA Region went up by 10,415 metric tons or 22.4 percent from 46,490 metric tons last first quarter of 2022 to 56,905 metric tons in the same quarter of 2023. The upsurge in production was mainly contributed by Occidental Mindoro (9,502 metric tons) and was followed by Oriental Mindoro (508 metric tons), Marinduque (274 metric tons), and Palawan (214 metric tons).

Likewise, white corns produced within the region during the first quarter of 2023 was registered at 2,270 metric tons, a 10.4 percent increase relative to 2,056 metric tons recorded from the same quarter of the previous year. The upsurge was contributed by the additional production of white corns from Marinduque (129 metric tons), Occidental Mindoro (67 metric tons), Palawan (64 metric tons) and Oriental Mindoro (36 metric tons).

Total corn area harvested expanded by 1.0 percent 

Total area harvested for all types of corn during January to March 2023 reached 11,134 hectares. Among provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro recorded the largest area harvested at 8,830 hectares with 79.3 percent share in the regional area harvested. Palawan followed at 1,672 hectares (15.0% share). Meanwhile, the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon had a small contribution in the regional area harvested at 304 hectares (2.7% share), 190 hectares (1.7% share), and 138 hectares (1.2% share), respectively.

Compared to the region’s recorded harvested area of 11,018 hectares in the first quarter of 2021, the total area harvested of the region expanded by 116 hectares or an increase by 1.0 percent. The posted increase was contributed by the upsurge in area harvested from Oriental Mindoro (179 hectares), Marinduque (112 hectares), and Palawan (89 hectares).

During January to March 2023, an increase of 9.2 percent or an expansion by 
80 hectares in the area harvested on white corns was noted. The expansion of area harvested for white corns was contributed by Marinduque (51 hectares), Oriental Mindoro (31 hectares), and Palawan (26 hectares).

Likewise, yellow corns’ area harvested of 10,180 hectares during the first quarter of 2023 was 0.4 percent higher than the recorded area harvested of 10,144 hectares in the same quarter of the previous year. The increase was due to the additional area harvested for yellow corns in Oriental Mindoro (148 hectares), Palawan (63 hectares), and Marinduque (61 hectares).

Average corn yield reached 5.31 metric tons per hectare 

The annual average corn yield of the MIMAROPA Region during January to March 2023 was at 5.31 metric tons per hectare. Among provinces in the region, only Occidental Mindoro exceeded the regional average yield at 5.87 metric tons per hectare. Meanwhile Romblon’s annual average yield of 2.58 metric tons per hectare posted the lowest average yield.

With respect to the average corn yield from January to March 2021, the regional average yield went up by 20.6 percent. This was contributed by a significant rise in the average yield in Occidental Mindoro (25.7% change), Marinduque (16.9% change), and Oriental Mindoro (4.1% change). On the other hand, the provinces of Romblon and Palawan exhibited a decline in their respective provincial yield by 9.9 percent and 0.3 percent.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Corn Production Survey (CPS) is a major quarterly agricultural survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Its main objective is to generate estimates on corn production, area, yield, and other production-related data. Production data from this survey serves as direct inputs in the value of production in the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries, and to the computation of the Gross Domestic Product. In addition, this survey also supports the data needs of planners, policy and decision makers on corn, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector, particularly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies such as Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), and the general public.

Data gathered in CPS are as follows: (1) production, area planted / harvested and yield by type of corn and by seed type; (2) usage of seeds, fertilizer and pesticides; 
(3) source of irrigation water and adequacy, monthly distribution of production and area harvested; (4) farm household disposition of production; and (5) area with standing crop, farmer’s planting intention for the quarter.

Definition of Terms

Corn production refers to the quantity of corn produced and actually harvested during the reference period. It includes those harvested but damaged, stolen, given away, consumed, given as harvesters’ and thresher’s shares, reserved, etc. Corn production from seed growers which are intended for seed purposes is excluded from the survey.

Two types of corn harvested are considered in corn production. These are as follows:

1.  White corn is a type of corn used primarily for human consumption. 

2.  Yellow corn is generally used as feed grains. It includes all types of corn other than white corn. 

Area harvested refers to the actual area from which harvests are realized. This excludes crop areas which were totally damaged. The harvest area refers to the effective area on corn where harvesting is done during the reference quarter.

Yield is an indicator of production derived by dividing the total production by the area harvested.