Sweet potato leads Western Visayas crop growth in Q1

Sweet potato production in Western Visayas rose 4.6% to 9,536 metric tons in the first quarter of 2026 from 9,119 metric tons a year earlier, leading growth among the region’s top vegetables and root crops, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

The preliminary figures were published July 8 in PSA Special Release 2026-SR27 and were based on the latest available Crops Production Survey data posted on the agency’s OpenStat platform.

Tomato production increased 0.5% to 8,006 metric tons from 7,968 metric tons, while eggplant output edged up 0.05% to 2,662 metric tons from 2,660 metric tons.

Cassava recorded the largest decline, falling 14.1% to 3,992 metric tons from 4,647 metric tons. Young jackfruit production decreased 1.5% to 2,902 metric tons from 2,945 metric tons, while squash fruit output dropped 3.3% to 2,756 metric tons from 2,851 metric tons.

Iloilo accounted for 71.6% of the region’s sweet potato production, followed by Guimaras at 17.8%, Antique at 4%, Capiz at 3.4%, and Aklan at 3.2%.

Iloilo produced 94.8% of the region’s tomatoes. Antique contributed 3.6%, Capiz 0.8%, and Guimaras and Aklan 0.4% each.

Iloilo also accounted for 71.5% of eggplant production, followed by Antique at 14%, Capiz at 6.8%, Guimaras at 5.9%, and Aklan at 1.8%.

For cassava, Iloilo contributed 52.4% of regional output. Capiz accounted for 15.8%, Guimaras 13.7%, Aklan 9.6%, and Antique 8.5%.

Iloilo supplied 66.5% of young jackfruit production, while Aklan contributed 13.6%, Guimaras 10.6%, Antique 6.7%, and Capiz 2.6%.

Iloilo accounted for 56.6% of squash fruit output, followed by Antique at 24.5%, Capiz at 13.4%, Guimaras at 4.3%, and Aklan at 1.2%.

Five of the region’s top vegetables and root crops posted higher average farmgate prices during the quarter, with increases ranging from 2% to 34.1%.

Tomato recorded the largest price increase at 34.1%, rising to PHP 40.22 per kilogram from PHP 29.99 per kilogram in the first quarter of 2025.

The average farmgate price of long, purple eggplant increased 31.9% to PHP 64 per kilogram from PHP 48.51. Sweet potato rose 10.4% to PHP 33.87 from PHP 30.69, while squash fruit climbed 10.2% to PHP 26.55 from PHP 24.08.

The price of young jackfruit increased 2% to PHP 21.96 per kilogram from PHP 21.54.

Cassava for food and fresh tubers was the only crop to register a price decline, falling 18.9% to PHP 16.43 per kilogram from PHP 20.26. Native, round eggplant recorded an average farmgate price of PHP 16.67 per kilogram, with no comparable figure available for the first quarter of 2025.

The PSA defines production as the quantity of a crop produced and harvested during the reference period. Farmgate price refers to the amount received by farmers for their crops at the farm.