Philippine fruit production declines in first quarter

PRODUCTION of three major fruit crops — banana, calamansi and mango — declined in the first quarter while output of pineapple, the fourth major crop, rose, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its major fruit crops quarterly bulletin, the PSA said that banana output fell 2.4% year on year to 2.06 million metric tons (MT) in the first quarter.

Davao Region accounted for 36.7% or 757,261 MT of the banana crop, followed by Northern Mindanao at 25.4% or 524,728 MT, and SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City) at 12.4% or 256,560 MT.

The Cavendish banana was the leading variety at 1.16 million MT, equivalent to 56.2% of total banana production, followed by the saba variety at 25.2% or 519,829 MT, and the lakatan variety at 9.1% or 187,485 MT.

Production of calamansi — a native lime — fell 10.9% year on year to 13,311 MT.

The top producer of calamansi was CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), accounting for 18.1% or 2,412 MT, followed by Central Luzon at 15.3% or 2,034 MT, and Davao Region at 12.4% or 1,646 MT.

Mango production fell 0.9% year on year to 94,068 MT.

The Ilocos Region was the top producer, accounting for 51.7% or 48,600 MT, followed by Central Luzon with 19.5% or 18,302 MT, and Western Visayas at 6.5% or 6,131 MT.

The carabao mango was the top mango variety with 81.5% of the harvest or 76,663 MT.

Pineapple production rose 0.8% year on year to 626,522 MT, compared to 621,374 MT in the same period in 2019.

Northern Mindanao was the top producer, accounting for 55.3% or 346,653 MT, followed by SOCCSKSARGEN with 34.6% or 217,083 MT, and the Bicol Region at 6.8% or 42,806 MT.

During the first quarter, the PSA estimated in May that the crop sector overall accounted for 54.9% of agricultural output, down 2.1% year on year. —