The volume of goat production from July to September 2023 was recorded at 17.75 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This indicates an annual increase of 0.1 percent from the 17.72 thousand metric tons, liveweight output in the same period of 2022. (Figure 1)

Central Visayas was the top producer of goat with 2.27 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 12.8 percent share to the total goat production during the reference quarter. Completing the top five regions with the highest volume of goat production at liveweight in the third quarter of 2023 were the following:

a.    Ilocos Region, 2.23 thousand metric tons; 
b.    BARMM 1.97 thousand metric tons; 
c.    Northern Mindanao, 1.82 thousand metric tons; and 
d.    Davao Region, 1.78 thousand metric tons.

These regions accounted for 56.8 percent of the country’s total goat production during the quarter.    
                               
Relative to their outputs in the same quarter of 2022, 10 regions registered increments in their production during the reference quarter. In terms of level, Western Visayas registered the highest increase of 0.16 thousand metric tons, from 1.50 thousand metric tons in the third quarter of 2022 to 1.66 thousand metric tons this third quarter of 2023.

As of 30 September 2023, the total goat inventory was estimated at 3.86 million heads. This reflects a decrease of 2.0 percent compared with the previous year’s same period count of 3.94 million heads. About 99.2 percent of the country’s goat population came from smallhold farms, while semi-commercial and commercial farms contributed 0.39 percent and 0.37 percent, respectively. (Figure 2) 

  
Central Visayas recorded the highest goat population with 627.68 thousand heads. This was followed by Central Luzon and Western Visayas with corresponding inventories of 454.67 thousand heads and 400.18 thousand heads. These three regions shared 38.4 percent to the country’s total goat population as of 30 September 2023. (Figure 3)  

The average farmgate price of goat for slaughter was quoted at PhP 246.02 per kilogram, liveweight for this quarter. This was 10.9 percent higher than the previous year’s same period average farmgate price of PhP 221.80 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

In the third quarter of 2023, the highest average farmgate price was observed in July at PhP 250.23 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest average farmgate price was recorded in August at PhP 239.70 per kilogram, liveweight.

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