The volume of carabao production from July to September 2023 was recorded at 30.84 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This indicates an annual decline of 0.3 percent from the 30.93 thousand metric tons, liveweight output in the same period of 2022. (Figure 1)

Western Visayas was the top producer of carabao with 4.54 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 14.7 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 third quarter of 2023 were the following:

a.    Northern Mindanao, 3.11 thousand metric tons; 
b.    Davao Region, 2.69 thousand metric tons;  
c.    SOCCSKSARGEN, 2.43 thousand metric tons; and 
d.    Central Visayas, 2.26 thousand metric tons.

These regions accounted for 48.8 percent of the country’s total carabao production during the quarter.

Relative to their outputs in the third quarter of 2022, six regions posted decrements in production during the period. In terms of level, Eastern Visayas recorded the highest decrease of 0.41 thousand metric tons, from 2.67 thousand metric tons in the third quarter of 2022 to 2.25 thousand metric tons in the same quarter of 2023.

As of 30 September 2023, the total carabao inventory was estimated at 2.74 million heads. This indicates a decline of 1.8 percent from its previous year’s same period count of 2.79 million heads. About 99.3 percent of the country’s carabao population came from smallhold farms, while the remaining 0.5 percent and 0.2 percent were from semi-commercial and commercial farms, respectively. (Figure 2) 
 

Bicol Region recorded the highest carabao population with 324.22 thousand heads as of 30 September 2023. This was followed by Western Visayas and Central Luzon with corresponding inventories of 251.57 thousand heads and 250.64 thousand heads. These three regions shared 30.2 percent to the country’s total carabao population during the period. (Figure 3) 

The average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter was quoted at PhP 149.30 per kilogram, liveweight during the quarter. This reflects an increase of 15.2 percent from the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of PhP 129.62 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

In the third quarter of 2023, the highest average farmgate price was observed in July at PhP 161.46 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest average farmgate price was recorded in August at PhP 138.53 per kilogram, liveweight. 

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