Sugarcane output surges 42.9% in Western Visayas in Q4 2025

Sugarcane production in Western Visayas posted the biggest gain among the region’s top crops in the fourth quarter of 2025, jumping 42.9 percent to 633,282 metric tons from 443,093 metric tons in the same period of 2024, according to a special release by the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Regional Statistical Services Office VI dated March 11, 2026.

The report covers crops other than palay and corn for the October-to-December period, excluding Negros Occidental following the enactment of Republic Act No. 12000, or the Negros Island Act.

Seven of the region’s 10 top crops registered production increases during the quarter, with only coconut, cassava, and camote tops recording declines.

Coconut, the second-highest crop by volume, fell 7.1 percent from 118,933 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 110,497 metric tons in the same quarter of 2025.

Cassava production dropped by 9.2 percent, from 6,370 metric tons to 5,783 metric tons over the same comparative period.

Camote tops likewise declined, posting an 11.9 percent decrease from 3,065 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 2,699 metric tons in 2025.

Among the crops that gained, banana production grew by 2.8 percent, rising from 92,075 metric tons to 94,679 metric tons.

Sweet potato output climbed 12.0 percent from 7,323 metric tons to 8,201 metric tons, the highest among all vegetable and root crops recorded in the quarter.

Pineapple production increased by 8.3 percent, from 4,758 metric tons to 5,153 metric tons, while watermelon edged up 0.4 percent from 4,166 metric tons to 4,184 metric tons.

Squash fruit production rose 7.7 percent to 2,700 metric tons from 2,507 metric tons, and jackfruit, young grew 8.9 percent from 2,307 metric tons to 2,513 metric tons.

Iloilo dominated production across selected fruit crops in the fourth quarter of 2025, contributing shares ranging from 74.9 percent to 99.0 percent per crop.

Of the region’s 94,679 metric tons of banana output, Iloilo accounted for 81.5 percent, with Antique as the second contributor at 6.0 percent.

For papaya, which totaled 1,564 metric tons regionally, Iloilo contributed 74.9 percent, followed by Capiz at 20.2 percent and Antique at 4.9 percent.

Iloilo’s dominance was most pronounced in pineapple and watermelon, where the province supplied 99.0 percent of the 5,153 metric tons of pineapple output and 98.3 percent of the 4,184 metric tons of watermelon produced across Western Visayas.

Iloilo also led production across most vegetable and root crops, contributing between 45.2 percent and 77.0 percent of the region’s total output per crop.

For sweet potato, the highest-volume vegetable and root crop at 8,201 metric tons, Iloilo held a 45.2 percent share, followed by Antique at 24.3 percent and Aklan at 18.1 percent.

Camote tops production totaled 2,699 metric tons, with Iloilo contributing 65.0 percent, Antique 17.0 percent, and Aklan 10.8 percent.

For jackfruit, young — at 2,513 metric tons — Iloilo provided 67.3 percent of the regional output, followed by Antique at 12.5 percent and Aklan at 11.6 percent.

Iloilo’s share was even higher for squash fruit and eggplant, accounting for 70.3 percent of the 2,700 metric tons of squash produced and 77.0 percent of the 2,201 metric tons of eggplant harvested in the region.

Cassava was the lone vegetable and root crop where another province took the lead: Antique topped that category with 37.1 percent of the regional total of 5,783 metric tons, followed by Aklan at 28.8 percent, Iloilo at 16.9 percent, Capiz at 11.2 percent, and Guimaras at 6.0 percent.

Among non-food and industrial crops, Iloilo was the region’s largest sugarcane producer, accounting for 74.9 percent of the 633,282 metric tons harvested in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Capiz contributing 20.2 percent and Antique 4.9 percent.

Iloilo also led in coffee production, supplying 77.0 percent of the region’s 1,079 metric tons of output.

For coconut, Capiz ranked first with a 29.9 percent share of the 110,497 metric tons produced, followed by Antique at 24.1 percent, Iloilo at 22.5 percent, Aklan at 16.2 percent, and Guimaras at 7.3 percent.

Aklan dominated abaca production, contributing 92.1 percent of the region’s estimated 539 metric tons output for the quarter.