LIVESTOCK output rose in the first quarter, with producers of chicken, chicken egg, pork, duck and duck egg posting gains while carabao and cattle production declined, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA said chicken production on a live-weight basis rose 3.3% year on year to 474,010 metric tons (MT) in the first quarter.
Central Luzon was the top chicken producer, accounting for 36.5% or 173,160 MT, followed by Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) at 17.1% or 81,257 MT, and Northern Mindanao at 8.8% or 41,881 MT.
As of April 1, the chicken inventory rose 0.4% year on year to 185.58 million birds.
Native and improved chicken accounted for much of the population at 44.3% or 82.23 million birds, followed by broiler chicken at 33.4% or 61.96 million birds, and layer chicken at 22.3% or 41.38 million birds.
The average farmgate price of broiler chicken in commercial farms rose 5.7% year on year to P77.03 per kilogram.
Chicken egg production rose 5.8% year on year to 150,285 MT.
Calabarzon was the top chicken egg producer, accounting for 30% or 45,086 MT, followed by Central Luzon at 19.8% or 29,789 MT, and Central Visayas at 9% or 13,561 MT.
The average farmgate price of chicken egg rose 20.9% year on year to P5.62 each.
Pork production on a live-weight basis rose 0.7% year on year to 571,259 MT.
Central Luzon was the top pork producing region, accounting for 20% or 114,106 MT, followed by Calabarzonzon at 15.8% or 90,331 MT, and Northern Mindanao at 9.1% or 52,233 MT.
As of April 1, the hog inventory fell 0.2% to 12.71 million head.
Backyard raisers accounted for 62.3% or 7.92 million head while commercial growers had 37.7% or 4.79 million head.
The average hog farmgate price rose 0.9% to P111.53 per kilogram.
Duck production by live weight rose 0.8% year on year to 9,691 MT.
Central Luzon was the top duck producer, accounting for 43.5% or 4,218 MT, followed by Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City) at 12.3% or 1,188 MT, and Western Visayas at 7.7% or 751 MT.
As of Jan. 1, the duck inventory rose 1.9% to 11.79 million birds.
Backyard-raised ducks accounted for 65.9% or 7.77 million birds while commercially-grown ducks were at 34.1% or 4.02 million birds.
The average farmgate price of duck rose 27.3% to P74.87 per kilogram.
Duck egg production rose 3.6% year on year to 11,568 MT.
Central Luzon was the top duck egg producer, accounting for 42.2% or 4,878 MT, followed by Northern Mindanao at 10.3% or 1,196 MT, and Western Visayas at 9.6% or 1,108 MT.
The average farmgate price of duck egg rose 8.7% to P7.22 each.
Cattle production by live weight fell 0.5% year on year to 61,024 MT.
Northern Mindanao accounted for 16.1% or 9,803 MT, followed by Ilocos Region at 11.8% or 7,177 MT, and Central Visayas at 10.1% or 6,171 MT.
The cattle inventory rose 0.3% year on year to 2.54 million head.
The average farmgate price of cattle rose 9% year on year to P119.17 per kilogram.
Carabao production by live weight, fell 1.9% year on year to 29,812 MT.
Western Visayas accounted for 18.1% or 5,402 MT, followed by Ilocos Region at 8.7% or 2,590 MT, and Bicol Region at 8.3% or 2,467 MT.
The carabao population fell 0.3% year on year to 2.87 million head.
The average farmgate price of carabao rose 0.1% year on year to P97.46 per kilogram.
The PSA estimated in May that the output of livestock sector overall in the first quarter rose 0.5% and accounted for 17.9% of total agricultural production.
It said poultry output rose 3.9% or 14.3% of overall agricultural output. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
