The volume of duck production from July to September 2023 was registered at 6.85 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This indicates an annual increase of 3.6 percent from the same period of 2022 level of 6.61 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This level of production in the third quarter of 2023 was a recovery from the annual decline of 12.1 percent recorded in the same quarter of 2022. (Figure 1)

Central Luzon was the top producer of duck by region with 2.10 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 30.7 percent share to the total duck production during the quarter. Completing the top five regions with the highest volume of duck production at liveweight in the third quarter of 2023 were the following:

a.    SOCCSKSARGEN, 1.38 thousand metric tons; 
b.    Cagayan Valley, 0.65 thousand metric tons; 
c.    Western Visayas, 0.65 thousand metric tons; and 
d.    Northern Mindanao, 0.34 thousand metric tons.

These regions accounted for 74.9 percent of the country’s total duck production during the quarter.

Relative to their levels in the same quarter of 2022, 12 regions reported increases in duck production during the period. In terms of level, SOCCSKSARGEN recorded the highest increase of 0.21 thousand metric tons, from 1.17 thousand metric tons in the third quarter of 2022 to 1.38 thousand metric tons in the same quarter of 2023. 

As of 30 September 2023, the total duck inventory was recorded at 14.49 million birds. This was 6.1 percent higher than the previous year’s same period level of 13.66 million birds. About 64.8 percent of the country’s duck population came from smallhold farms, while the remaining 32.7 percent and 2.6 percent were from semi-commercial and commercial farms, respectively.  (Figure 2) 
 

Central Luzon recorded the highest duck population of 5.15 million birds as of 30 September 2023. This was followed by SOCCSKSARGEN and Cagayan Valley with corresponding duck population of 1.49 million birds and 1.48 million birds. These three regions accounted for 56.0 percent of the country’s total duck population during the period.  (Figure 3)  

The average farmgate price of duck for meat for the third quarter of 2023 was quoted at PhP 174.63 per kilogram, liveweight. This indicates an increase of 19.3 percent from the previous year’s same quarter average farmgate price of PhP 146.33 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

In the third quarter of 2023, the highest average farmgate price was recorded in September at PhP 177.13 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest average farmgate price was quoted in August at PhP 171.65 per kilogram, liveweight.

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