VOLUME OF PRODUCTION BY COMMODITY GROUP

Other Crops total production in the 2^nd Quarter 2023 in SOCCSKSARGEN Region decreased by (6.5%) compared to the same period in 2022.  Non-Food and Industrial Commercial Crops (NFICs) decreased by 73,797.38 MT (13.8%) and Fruit Crops slightly increased 1,503.98 MT (0.3%), Vegetables and Root Crops (VRC) increased by 622.61 MT or (2.3%) on the same reference period. (Table 1)

Of the 1.03 million MT total Other Crops production in the region in the 2^nd Quarter 2023, about 0.46 million MT or 44.67% were produced by NFICCs. About 0.54 million MT 52.67% were fruits and about 0.28 million MT or 2.66% were VRC. (Figure 1)

TOP FIVE (5) CROPS IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF PRODUCTION

Among the region’s top 5 Other Crops, Pineapple and Oil Palm (fresh fruit bunch) recorded an slightly increased in production during the period under review. Pineapple production increased by 0.9% or roughly 1,633.41 MT rising than the previous year's production. Oil Palm (fresh fruit bunch) also recorded an increased by 5.1% representing the of 3,374.35 MT from the previous year’s production. Coconut (with husk) recorded a decreased of (2.4%) reaching 0.304 million MT from 0.311 million MT of the previous year. Banana production went down by (2.2%) from 0.285 million MT in the previous year to 0.279 million MT in the first four months of 2023. Sugarcane likewise recorded an decrease of (49.2%), with production down from 128,329.45 MT in the previous year to 64,392.38 MT during the period under review in 2023. (Table 2)

Among the top 5 crops, Coconut (w/ husk) contributed 0.303 million MT, accounting for (29.4%) of the total production of Other Crops in the Second Quarter of 2023. Banana shared 0.285 million MT (27.0%); Pineapple, 0.19 million MT (18.3%); Oil Palm (fresh fruit bunch), 0.70 million MT (6.8%) while Sugarcane   contributed 0.064 million MT (6.2%) to the overall production of Other Crops in the region (Figure 2).

OTHER CROPS VOLUME OF PRODUCTION BY PROVINCE

Among its four (4) provinces, South Cotabato had the highest Other Crops production at 0.35 million MT accounting for 30.1% of the region’s 1.034 million MT Other Crops production in the Second Quarter of 2023. Cotabato was next to the South Cotabato at 0.31 million MT sharing 33.83%; Sarangani had 0.21 million MT (20.17%); and Sultan Kudarat (15.94%) with 0.16 million MT. (Figure 3)

At (2.07%), only Cotabato recorded as increased in the production of Other Crops during the period under review. The rest of the provinces recorded as decreased. (Table 3)