The country’s total carabao production increased to 30.93 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the third quarter of 2022, from 29.87 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the same quarter of the previous year. It increased annually at a slower rate of 3.5 percent from the 7.7 percent growth rate in 2021.

Western Visayas was the major contributor in the carabao production during the quarter with 13.4 percent share and estimated production of 4.14 thousand metric tons, liveweight.

Completing the top five major producing regions and their corresponding volume of production were:
a. Northern Mindanao with 3.31 thousand metric tons, liveweight;
b. Davao Region with 2.68 thousand metric tons, liveweight;
c. Eastern Visayas with 2.67 thousand metric tons, liveweight; and
d. SOCCSKSARGEN with 2.39 thousand metric tons, liveweight.

These regions accounted for 49.1 percent share of the country’s total carabao production.

Relative to their levels in the same quarter of 2021, 11 regions reported increments in production during the quarter. In terms of level, Northern Mindanao posted the highest increase of 0.52 thousand metric tons, liveweight, from 2.79 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the same quarter of the previous year to 3.31 thousand metric tons, liveweight this third quarter of 2022.

Total carabao inventory as of 30 September 2022 was estimated at 2.78 million heads. Of the total carabao inventory, smallhold farms accounted for 99.1 percent, while the remaining comprised the semi-commercial farms and commercial farms at 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. (Figure 2)

Higher contribution in the country’s total carabao population were reported in Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Central Luzon with respective shares of 11.6 percent,9.7 percent, and 8.7 percent.

The average farmgate price of carabao for slaughter was PhP 150.24 per kilogram, liveweight for this quarter. This was 19.6 percent higher than the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of PhP 125.58 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

During the reference quarter, the highest farmgate price was observed in August at PhP 159.22 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest was quoted in September at PhP 142.87 per kilogram, liveweight.

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

EXPLANATORY 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. The following are the new farm classifications and definitions based on the approved PSA Board Resolution No. 04, series of 2022: 

*Based on Animal Unit index.

The data on inventory of carabao by farm type (i.e. backyard and commercial) can still be accessed in the OpenSTAT website of PSA with the link:
https://openstat.psa.gov.ph/PXWeb/pxweb/en/DB/DB__2E__LP/0022E4FINL0.px/....

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).