Guimaras corn yield gains more than 99%

The province of Guimaras produced 1,803 metric tons of corn in the first three quarters of 2020, nearly twofold its 2019 yield at 906 metric tons, translating to a 99.12 percent increment propelled by harvests in both yellow and white corn.

Based on data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), corn yield in the province in the first three quarters of 2020 were mostly from yellow corn which contributed 50.86 percent to the provincial total, while white corn shared 49.14 percent.

White corn yield at 886 metric tons posted a 51.19 percent increment, higher than the 586 metric tons output in Q1-Q3 of 2019.

Yellow corn recorded a huge output of 947 metric tons, posting a growth of 187.01 percent against the 320 metric tons yield in the same quarters of 2019 or equivalent to 598 metric tons.

“The improved corn yield was driven by both the white and the yellow corn which recorded 65.15 percent expansion on area planted, larger by 215 hectares, from the recorded 330 hectares in the first three quarters of 2019 to 545 hectares in same quarters of 2020,” Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

Losare added that the largest expansion was seen on the area of yellow corn with a total area of 219 hectares or an additional 130 hectares from the 89 hectares in Q1-Q3 of 2019 while yellow corn farms expanded by 85 hectares more than its area planted in 2019 same quarters.

Total area planted with white corn is larger than the area planted with yellow corn by 107 hectares comprising 59.82 percent of the provincial total area planted.

“Expansion on farms planted to corn was noted due to the increasing demand for local consumption and availability of seeds distributed by the Department of Agriculture,” Losare added.

Comparing Q1-Q3 of the years 2018-2020, total corn area planted in 2020 at 545 hectares is lesser by 102 hectares than the area in 2018 with 647 hectares. The least area harvested was recorded in 2019 of the same quarters with a total of 330 hectares.

“The Palay and Corn Production Survey (PCPS) generates quarterly estimates of palay and corn production, area, yield and other production-related statistics to serve as inputs for policy making,” Losare added.