Number of Farms Increased by 10.9 Percent in 2002

The number of farms in Caraga region increased by 10.9 percent, from 189.6 thousand in 1991 to 210.2 thousand in 2002. This is attributed to the large increase in the number of farms in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur by 32.2 percent and 11.7 percent, respectively. Likewise, the total area of farms in the region increased slightly by 1.2 percent during the period mentioned. However, the average size of farms decreased from 2.7 hectares in 1991 to 2.5 hectares in 2002. Agricultural land comprised 25.3 percent of the region's total land area.

It was also observed that the region reported an average of 2.1 parcels per farm in 2002.

Table A. Number of Farms by Province: Caraga, 1991 and 2002
(Area is in Hectares)
 

Source: NSO, 1991 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries and 2002 Census of Agriculture

Agusan del Sur Accounted for the Largest Number of Farms and Biggest Farm Area

Agusan del Sur shared the largest number of farms in Caraga Region with a total of 76.0 thousand farms which utilized 200.5 thousand hectares in agriculture, also the biggest among the provinces. About 38.3 percent of the total farm area in the region was accounted by this province. The average farm size of the province was 2.6 hectares.

Surigao del Sur followed with 49.1 thousand farms and a total area of 135.5 thousand hectares.

Palay was the Major Temporary Crop of the Region

Palay, which was grown in 160.6 thousand hectares as reported by 82.6 thousand farms, was the major temporary crop of the region in 2002. The area devoted to palay had increased by 19.3 percent, that is, from 134.7 thousand hectares in 1991. The next major temporary crop was corn covering 82.2 thousand hectares in 53.3 thousand farms. Other temporary crops planted in the region were tuber, roots and bulbs (24.9 thousand hectares), fruit bearing vegetables (3.1 thousand hectares), and leguminous crops (1.5 thousand hectares).

Palay was the major temporary crop across provinces in 2002.

Coconut was the Dominant Permanent Crop

Coconut was the dominant permanent crop in the region with 18.3 million trees as reported by 134.0 thousand farms, 73.0 percent of which were productive trees (already capable of bearing fruits). However, the number of coconut trees in 2002 decreased by about 10.0 percent, from a total of 20.4 million trees in 1991. Falcata ranked second with 15.1 million trees planted in 32.8 thousand farms. Although banana plants decreased by about 39.4 percent based on the 1991 estimates, these were also abundantly planted in the region in 2002 numbering 9.7 million hills in 112.2 thousand farms. Other permanent crops in the region were abaca and coffee robusta with 3.7 million trees and 1.6 million trees, respectively.

Falcata trees were dominantly planted in Agusan del Sur while the rest of the provinces were mainly devoted to coconut plantation.

Water Fetching, Waterwheels, etc. were the Most Common Irrigation System in Caraga

Irrigation was an essential means for increasing the production of agricultural crops in Caraga Region. About 79.5 thousand farms with a combined area of 129.8 thousand hectares used irrigation in 2002. One-third of the farms used other irrigation system such as waterwheels, water fetching, etc. This type of irrigation supplied water in 41.4 thousand hectares of farms. National irrigation system, those that were built or constructed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), was the next common system, which supplied water to 25.1 thousand farms with an irrigated area of 35.8 thousand hectares. Next to this was the individual system of irrigation which covered 32.2 thousand hectares.

Number of Hogs Reared and Tended Increased by 25.8 Thousand Hogs in 2002

Among the livestock reared and tended in Caraga Region, hogs accounted for the largest share. From a total 292.7 thousand hogs reported in 1991, about 318.5 thousand hogs were reared in 109.0 thousand farms in 2002. About 33.8 percent of the total hogs came from Surigao del Norte, 29.2 percent from Agusan del Sur, 19.5 percent from Surigao del Sur while the remaining 17.4 percent from Agusan del Norte.

Tending of carabao ranked second with 84.7 thousand heads as reported by 53.7 thousand farms. An increase of about 1.6 thousand carabaos was observed from the 1991 figure of 83.1 thousand heads. A high proportion of these livestock came from Agusan del Sur (39.4 percent).

Other livestock reared and tended in Caraga Region were goats (42.3 thousand), cattle (18.7 thousand), and horses (1.9 thousand).

Chicken Dominated the Poultry Raising Activity

The number of chicken raised by 135.9 thousand farms totaled to 2.2 million heads, slightly higher when compared to the 1991 figure of 1.9 million heads. Agusan del Norte shared 55.0 percent of the total number of chicken in the region followed by Agusan del Sur with 22.2 percent share.

Next to raising of chicken was duck raising with 123.2 thousand heads as reported by 11.1 thousand farms. A decrease of about 36.9 percent compared to the 1991 number of ducks was also observed. The largest share came from Agusan del Sur with 54.3 percent of the total ducks.

While the raising of quails came in third, it experienced a remarkable four-fold increase in terms of number, from 4.8 thousand heads in 1991 to 26.4 thousand heads in 2002.

Ornamental and Flower Gardening was also Well Known in Caraga

Among the other agricultural activities in Caraga Region, ornamental and flower gardening (excluding orchids) was also predominantly practiced aside from the common agricultural activities like planting palay, corn, etc., with 1.3 thousand farms engaged in this activity. However, this figure was 65.9 percent lower than the 3.8 thousand farms engaged in this type of agriculture activity in 1991.

Orchid growing came in second with 726 farms engaged. It recorded an increase of 29.0 percent, from 563 farms in 1991. Agusan del Sur showed the largest increase in this activity where about 283 farms reported to have been engaged in orchid growing in 2002, from 30 farms in 1991 or 843.3 percent increase.

Meanwhile, mushroom culture attracted the interest of the agricultural operators with a remarkable three-fold increase in terms of number of farms, from 101 farms in 1991 to 465 farms in 2002.

About 14 Percent of the Agricultural Operators were 40-44 Years Old

Nearly 14 percent of the agricultural operators in Caraga Region, numbering 28.4 thousand, belonged to the 40-44 year age group. It was closely followed by those in the age groups 35-39 years (27.0 thousand) and 45-49 years (24.6 thousand).

About nine in ten agricultural operators were males (89.4 percent). Among the male agricultural operators, mostly were between 35-44 years old (27.5 percent) while most female agricultural operators appeared older, between 55-64 years old (25.5 percent).

Two Out of Five Household Members were Engaged in Agriculture

Household members of the agricultural operators were asked if they were engaged in any agricultural activity, whether in their own holding, in other holding or both.

In 2002, a total of 253.5 thousand household members (42.1 percent) were engaged in agricultural activities. Of this number, about 205.1 thousand (80.9 percent) household members were engaged in own holding, 35.2 thousand (13.9 percent) household members were engaged at the same time in their own holding and in the holding of others, and 13.2 thousand (5.2 percent) household members in other holdings.

In addition, a total of 152.8 thousand females were engaged in agricultural activity, outnumbering the males by 57.4 thousand.

Source:   National Statistics Office
                Manila, Philippines
 
Page last revised:   October 14, 2004