The volume of hog production from April to June 2023 was recorded at 422.72 thousand metric tons, liveweight. This indicates an annual increase of 1.0 percent from the 418.40 thousand metric tons, liveweight output in the same period of 2022. (Figure 1)

Central Visayas was the top producer of hog with 54.44 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 12.9 percent share to the total hog production during the period. Completing the top five regions with the highest volume of hog production at liveweight during the quarter were the following:  
a.    CALABARZON with 53.84 thousand metric tons;   
b.    Northern Mindanao with 50.98 thousand metric tons;   
c.    Central Luzon with 42.35 thousand metric tons; and  
d.    Western Visayas with 42.03 thousand metric tons.

These regions accounted for 57.6 percent share to the country’s total hog production during the period.

Relative to their outputs in the same quarter of 2022, nine regions registered increases in production during the quarter. In terms of level, Central Luzon recorded the highest increase of 11.29 thousand metric tons, from 31.06 thousand metric tons in the second quarter of 2022 to from 42.35 thousand metric tons in the same quarter of 2023.

As of 30 June 2023, the country’s total swine inventory was estimated at 10.07 million heads. This was 1.4 percent higher than the previous year’s same period count of 9.94 million heads. About 67.5 percent of the country’s swine population came from smallhold farms, while the remaining 29.2 percent and 3.2 percent were from commercial and semi-commercial farms, respectively. (Figure 2)

CALABARZON recorded the highest swine population of 1.30 million heads as of 30 June 2023. This was followed by Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao with corresponding inventories of 1.17 million heads and 1.12 million heads. These three regions accounted for 35.6 percent share to the country’s total swine population during the period.

The average farmgate price of hogs for slaughter was quoted at PhP 169.73 per kilogram, liveweight for this quarter. This registers a decrease of -5.1 percent from the previous year’s same quarter quotation of PhP 178.86 per kilogram, liveweight. (Figure 4)

In the second quarter of 2023, the highest average farmgate price was recorded in June at PhP 171.85 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest average farmgate price was noted in May at PhP 168.32 per kilogram, liveweight.

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