The January to March 2022 total carabao production was registered at 29.07 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This was 6.5 percent higher than the previous year’s same quarter output of 27.30 thousand metric tons, liveweight. (Figure 1)

Western Visayas was the top producer of carabao during the quarter with 3.88 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 13.3 percent share.

Completing the top five major producing regions and their corresponding percent shares to total production were the following:
a. SOCCSKSARGEN, 8.9 percent;
b. Ilocos Region, 7.9 percent;
c. Zamboanga Peninsula, 7.9 percent; and
d. Eastern Visayas, 7.3 percent.

These regions accounted for 45.3 percent of the country’s total carabao production.

Relative to their levels in the same quarter of 2021, 11 regions posted increments in production during the quarter. Eastern Visayas recorded the highest annual growth of 53.4 percent, from 1.38 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the first quarter of the previous year to 2.12 thousand metric tons, liveweight this quarter of 2022.

As of 31 March 2022, the country’s carabao inventory was estimated at 2.78 million heads. About 11.8 percent of the total carabao population was recorded in Bicol Region, followed by Western Visayas with 9.8 percent share and Central Luzon with 8.7 percent share. These three regions accounted for 30.3 percent of the country’s total carabao inventory. (Figure 2)

The January to March 2022 average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter in backyard farm was Php 142.07 per kilogram, liveweight, or 18.3 percent higher than the previous year’s same quarter price of Php 120.13 per kilogram, liveweight.

During the quarter, the highest farmgate price was observed in March at PhP 148.19 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest was quoted in February at PhP 134.35 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 3)

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

TECHNICAL NOTES

This Carabao Situation Report presents the carabao industry in terms of volume of production, inventory by region, and average farmgate prices. The report is prepared to serve as a ready reference for the various clients and stakeholders in the agriculture sector of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). It is released quarterly, that is, every February, May, August, and November.

Concepts and Definitions

Volume of production refers to the number of tended/raised carabao disposed for slaughter including animals shipped-out for slaughter. This is expressed in metric tons, liveweight.

Inventory refers to the actual number of carabao present in the farm as of a specific reference date.

Farmgate price refers to the price received by raisers for their produce at the location of farm. Thus, marketing costs, such as transport and other marketing costs (if any) incurred in selling the produce, are not included in the farmgate prices. The 2020 to 2021 farmgate prices included in this special release were sourced from Price Statistics Division (PSD), while the 2022 farmgate prices were based on the surveys of Livestock and Poultry Statistics Division (LPSD).