Corn Production in Leyte goes up by 0.55 percent in Fourth Quarter of 2024

The volume of corn production in Leyte (including Tacloban City) went up by 0.55 percent, from 9,279 metric tons during the fourth quarter of 2023 to 9,330 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2024. This translates to an increase of 51 metric tons of corn produced during the two periods. Corn production in the province accounted for 61.16 percent of the region’s production of 15,254 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2024.

White corn which is primarily used for human consumption, accounted most of the corn production at 93.30 percent compared to yellow corn (6.70 percent) which is used generally as feed grains. Yellow corn includes other types of corn other than white corn.

The production of white corn increased by 0.43 percent, from 8,667 metric tons in fourth quarter of 2023 to 8,704 metric tons during the same quarter of 2024.

Likewise, the production of yellow corn increased by 2.12 percent posting 625 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 612 metric tons in same period of 2023.

Of the 9,330 metric tons of corn production in Leyte during the fourth quarter of 2024, production of corn using Native OPV seeds totaled to 3,895 metric tons or 41.75 percent of the total corn production during quarter in review. In fourth quarter of 2023, production of corn using this type of seed accounted at 42.22 percent of the total corn production in Leyte.

About 35.87 percent or 3,347 metric tons of corn production in the province utilized Hybrid type of seeds. This is higher than the reported 34.80 percent of corn production under this seed type during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Meanwhile, 22.38 percent or 2,088 metric tons were produced using Modern OPV type of seeds. In the same period of 2023, production using this seed type comprised 22.98 percent of the total corn production in the province.

Area harvested to Corn decreases by 0.15 percent in the Fourth Quarter of 2024

During the fourth quarter of 2024, area harvested to corn in Leyte slightly went down by 0.15 percent posting at 6,885 hectares, from 6,895 hectares in same period of 2023.

In both periods, white corn comprised majority of the total area harvested in Leyte. A decrease of 0.08 percent was noted on the area harvested to white corn, from 6,475 hectares of fourth quarter last year to 6,470 hectares in the fourth quarter of 2024. Likewise, area harvested to yellow corn went down by 1.19 percent, from 420 hectares in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 415 hectares in the same period of 2024. 

Area harvested to corn in Leyte is 66.34 percent to the total area harvested to corn in Eastern Visayas during the fourth quarter of 2024.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Corn production, area and yield and other production data are generated from Corn Production Survey (CPS) which is one of the major agricultural surveys of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The CPS is conducted nationwide every quarter of each year. It aims to generate estimates that serve as inputs for policy making and programs on corn. Production data generated from the CPS are inputs to the Performance of Agriculture Report (PAR) and preparation of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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

• White Corn – this type of corn is used primarily for human consumption.

• Yellow Corn – this type of corn is used generally as feed grains. They include all types of corn other than white.

• Hybrid Corn Variety - are the result of a repeated process of self-pollination of corn varieties of the same kind, called inbred lines. Different inbred lines are then crossed to produce hybrids. Hybrid varieties tend to have extended vigor and produced higher yield.

• Modern Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV) - refer to corn seed materials which are grown for a longer period of time and maintained by natural cross pollination from generation to generation. These are purebred strains with seed that can be saved and planted from year to year. Open pollinated varieties will bred true if they are isolated from other varieties, avoiding cross-pollination. They are usually distinguished by their kernel color, kernel shape and other agronomic characteristics.

• Native OPV - refer to the indigenous varieties.

SGD. SHERYL ANN A. JAMISOLA

Chief Statistical Specialist