The October to December 2021 total carabao production was estimated at 37.24 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This was 5.8 percent higher than the previous year’s same period output of 35.19 thousand metric tons, liveweight.

By region, Western Visayas remained the top producer of carabao during the quarter with 4.45 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 11.9 percent of the country’s total carabao output. The other top producing regions were Eastern Visayas which shared 10.8 percent; CALABARZON, 9.7 percent; Davao Region, 8.7 percent; and BARMM, 8.3 percent.

Compared with their October to December 2020 production levels, nine regions reported increments in production during the period. MIMAROPA Region posted the highest annual growth of 108.3 percent, from 0.58 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the same period of the previous year to 1.21 thousand metric tons, liveweight this quarter of 2021. (Figure 1)

As of 01 January 2022, the total carabao inventory was estimated at  2.82 million heads. This was -0.9 percent lower compared with the previous year’s same period population of 2.85 million heads. Inventory of carabao in both backyard farms and commercial farms contracted by -1.0 percent and -0.2 percent, respectively. Of the total carabao population, 99.7 percent were raised in backyard farms, while the remaining 0.3 percent were from commercial farms. (Figure 2)

In terms of inventory, Bicol Region reported the highest total carabao population of 322.52 thousand heads. This was followed by Western Visayas with 282.59 thousand heads and Central Luzon with 9.69 thousand heads. These three regions accounted for 29.9 percent of the total carabao inventory in the country. 

Bicol Region reported the highest inventory of carabao in backyard farms with 322.34 thousand heads, while inventory in commercial farms was highest in Cagayan Valley with 2.97 thousand heads.

The average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter in backyard farms for October to December 2021 was quoted at PhP 126.96 per kilogram, liveweight. This was 12.1 percent higher than the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of PhP 113.29 per kilogram, liveweight.

During the reference period, the highest farmgate price was recorded in October at PhP 127.84 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest was quoted in November at PhP 125.65 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

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, and average farmgate price. 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 volume of locally-raised carabao disposed for slaughter including those which were shipped out to other regions/provinces 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, the marketing costs, such as the transport and other marketing costs (if any) incurred in selling the produce, are not included in the farmgate prices. The 2019 to 2021 farmgate prices included in this special release were based on the revised method of computation by the Price Statistics Division of the PSA.