The volume of carabao production from April to June 2023 was recorded at 33.72 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This indicates an annual increase of 0.5 percent from the 33.57 thousand metric tons, liveweight output in the same period of 2022. (Figure 1)

Western Visayas was the top producer of carabao with 4.40 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 13.0 percent share to the total carabao production during the period. Completing the top five regions with the highest volume of carabao production at liveweight in the second quarter of 2023 were the following:   
a.    Northern Mindanao, 3.04 thousand metric tons;  
b.    Davao Region, 2.94 thousand metric tons;   
c.    Eastern Visayas, 2.84 thousand metric tons; and  
d.    CALABARZON, 2.62 thousand metric tons.

These regions accounted for 46.9 percent of the country’s total carabao production during the quarter.

Relative  to  their outputs  in the same quarter of 2022, 11 regions registered increments in production during the period. In terms of level, Central Visayas recorded the highest increase of 0.34 thousand metric tons, from 1.38 thousand metric tons in the second quarter of 2022 to 1.72 thousand metric tons in the same quarter of 2023. 

As of 30 June 2023, the total carabao inventory was estimated at 2.73 million heads. This indicates a decline of -1.2 percent from its previous year’s same period count of 2.77 million heads. About 99.1 percent of the country’s carabao population came from smallhold farms, while the remaining 0.8 percent and 0.1 percent were from semi-commercial and commercial farms, respectively. (Figure 2)

Bicol Region recorded the highest carabao population with 322.85 thousand heads as of 30 June 2023. This was followed by Western Visayas and Central Luzon with corresponding inventories of 256.33 thousand heads and 249.99 thousand heads. These three regions shared 30.3 percent to the country’s total carabao population during the period.

The average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter was quoted at PhP 144.56 per kilogram, liveweight during the quarter. This reflects a decrease of -5.4 percent from the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of PhP 152.85 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

In the second quarter of 2023, the highest average farmgate price was observed in June at PhP 148.49 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest average farmgate price was recorded in May at PhP 138.64 per kilogram, liveweight.

DIVINA GRACIA L. DEL PRADO, PhD  
Assistant Secretary  
Deputy National Statistician  
Sectoral Statistics Office