Negros sugarcane output surges 17.6% in Q1 2025

Sugarcane production in the Negros Island Region reached 6,701,727.07 metric tons (MT) in the first quarter of 2025, up 17.6 percent from 5,696,482.48 MT in the same period last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

The PSA’s Regional Statistical Services Office-Negros Island Region released the data on March 30 in a special release on the production of crops other than palay and corn.

Sugarcane remained the region’s highest-volume major crop. Negros Occidental accounted for 79.4 percent of total sugarcane output, with Negros Oriental contributing the remaining 20.6 percent.

Three other crops posted gains: cassava rose 2.8 percent to 17,675.11 MT, cabbage increased 4.5 percent to 671.75 MT, and tomato grew 3.1 percent to 426.68 MT.

Banana, the region’s second-highest crop by volume, declined 3.6 percent to 57,316.62 MT from 59,487.12 MT. Coconut production fell 11.6 percent to 47,381.47 MT, with Negros Occidental supplying 65.9 percent, Negros Oriental 30.3 percent, and Siquijor 3.6 percent.

Several other major crops recorded steeper drops. Pineapple production plunged 52.4 percent to 1,982.06 MT, camote fell 22.1 percent to 3,050.64 MT, mango declined 16.1 percent to 972.25 MT, and eggplant dropped 8.2 percent to 1,447.22 MT.

Among major non-food and industrial crops, cogon production reached 1,190 MT, with Negros Occidental accounting for 96.6 percent. Negros Oriental was the top contributor for napier grass at 84.2 percent of the region’s 83.1 MT output, and for salago at 88.7 percent of the 28.1 MT total. Nipa leaves production stood at 46.7 MT, with Negros Oriental as the primary contributor.

In fruit crops, Negros Oriental dominated banana and pineapple production with shares of 44.2 percent and 67.2 percent, respectively. Negros Occidental led in starapple and mango, contributing 58.5 percent and 51 percent of the region’s respective totals of 1,094.31 MT and 972.25 MT.

For vegetables and root crops, Negros Oriental held the largest share of cassava production at 51.5 percent, followed by Negros Occidental at 43.5 percent and Siquijor at 5.3 percent. Negros Occidental dominated camote output with 73.6 percent, and led in squash at 85.9 percent, eggplant at 76.3 percent, malunggay at 51.7 percent, and jackfruit at 90.5 percent.

Negros Oriental led the region’s alugbati production out of a total of 843.71 MT and was the second-highest contributor to sitao at 49.3 percent, next to Negros Occidental with 50 percent.