CHICKEN production rose, while that of cattle declined during the third quarter, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In a report, the PSA said that chicken output rose 2.3% year on year to 464.97 thousand metric tons (MT) liveweight.
Central Luzon was the top producer at 151.97 thousand MT, followed by Calabarzon (77.21 thousand MT), Northern Mindanao (40.77 thousand MT), the Western Visayas (32.84 thousand MT), and the Central Visayas (29.71 thousand MT).
The five regions accounted for 71.5% of national production for the quarter.
The PSA said that as of Sept. 30, the national chicken inventory rose 1.1% year on year to 202.82 million birds.
“Population of native/improved chicken (rose) 5%. Meanwhile, broiler chicken and layer chicken stocks reported reductions of 2% and 1%, respectively,” it added.
Of the total broiler chicken inventory, native/improved chicken accounted for 43%.
The layer chicken flock comprised 22.3% of all birds.
The average farmgate price in the third quarter was P131.36 per kilogram, down 9.8% from a year earlier.
Separately, the PSA also reported a 1.5% year-on-year decline in cattle production during the quarter, with output at 51.82 thousand MT liveweight.
Production was led by Northern Mindanao, which accounted for 15.9% of cattle output for the period.
This was followed by the Central Visayas (5.89 thousand MT), Ilocos region (5.02 thousand MT), the Western Visayas (4.41 thousand MT), and Soccsksargen (3.7 thousand MT).
“These regions accounted for 52.6% of cattle production in the third quarter of 2023,” it added.
The PSA said the cattle herd expanded 0.4% to 2.59 million head during the quarter.
Smallhold farms accounted for 82.3% of the herd, while 14.3% and 3.4% were raised by semi-commercial and commercial farms, respectively.
The average farmgate price of cattle for slaughter was P172.33 per kilogram, down 0.3% from a year earlier. — Adrian H. Halili
