Western Visayas corn output rises 6.5%

Western Visayas’ corn production rose 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 81,253 metric tons from 76,286 metric tons in the same period last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

The region’s harvested corn area also increased 5.7 percent to 16,653 hectares from 15,752 hectares.

Yellow corn accounted for most of the output, rising 6.2 percent to 78,808 metric tons from 74,222 metric tons.

White corn production grew faster at 18.5 percent, reaching 2,445 metric tons from 2,064 metric tons.

Harvested area for yellow corn expanded 5.8 percent to 15,836 hectares from 14,968 hectares.

White corn area harvested increased 4.2 percent to 817 hectares from 784 hectares.

Iloilo remained the region’s top corn producer, contributing 63.8 percent, or 51,910 metric tons.

Capiz followed with 31.5 percent, or 25,557 metric tons; Antique with 4.3 percent, or 3,459 metric tons; Guimaras with 0.2 percent, or 183 metric tons; and Aklan with 0.2 percent, or 144 metric tons.

Iloilo also had the largest harvested area at 10,584 hectares, or 63.6 percent of the regional total, up from 9,776 hectares.

Capiz had 5,174 hectares, or 31.1 percent, down 2.3 percent from 5,298 hectares.

Antique posted the highest year-on-year growth in harvested area, rising 66.7 percent to 740 hectares from 444 hectares.

Guimaras recorded 90 hectares, down 28 percent from 125 hectares, while Aklan had 65 hectares, down 40.4 percent from 109 hectares.

Farmgate prices also showed gains for some corn types.

Matured white corngrain averaged PHP 46.85 per kilogram in January, up 102.3 percent year-on-year, before easing to PHP 44.48 in February and PHP 41.87 in March.

Matured yellow corngrain averaged PHP 17.00 per kilogram in January, up 18 percent, then PHP 16.13 in February, up 10.9 percent, and PHP 17.42 in March, up 18.5 percent.

White green corn averaged PHP 51.53 per kilogram in January, up 7.9 percent, then fell to PHP 44.69 in February, down 1.9 percent, and PHP 39.35 in March, down 17.9 percent.

The PSA said the figures are preliminary and were taken from the Corn Production Survey and Farm Price Survey.

Production refers to the quantity of crop produced and actually harvested during the reference period, while area harvested refers to the total corn area harvested during the same period.

White corn is used mainly for human consumption, while yellow corn is generally used as feed grain.