The country’s abaca output from January to May grew 1.4 percent to 26,509.19 metric tons, from 26,149 MT recorded a year ago, owing to higher production by Mindanao regions, latest Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) data showed.
Data released by PhilFIDA to the media indicated that abaca production in five regions of Mindanao posted a double-digit growth, which offset the 28.9-percent decline in the output of Bicol region, the country’s top producer of the fiber.
Abaca output in Bicol region fell to 7,496.55 MT, from the 10,548.875-MT recorded volume in the five-month period of 2017. Due to the nearly 30-percent decline in production, the share in total output of the region dropped to 28.3 percent, from 40.3 percent last year.
Total abaca output by Mindanao rose by more than a third to 14,550.625 MT, from the 10,834.125-MT recorded volume in the January-to-May period of 2017.
Davao region was the top producer of abaca in Mindanao accounting for 20.7-percent share of the total output during the five-month period.
Davao-based farmers produced 5,480.94 MT of abaca, which was 35.3 percent higher than the 4,050.56 MT recorded a year ago. Davao only accounted for 15.5 percent of the total output in January-to-May 2017 period.
Northern Mindanao posted the highest year-on-year output after it registered a 65.8-percent expansion in output.
Abaca production of Northern Mindanao during the five-month period reached 2,119.81 MT, from 1,278.5 MT recorded same time period last year.
Other regions of Mindanao, such as Zamboanga Peninsula, posted a 60.6-percent year-on-year output growth, while abaca production in Soccsksargen expanded by 42.5 percent.
Caraga abaca production grew by 37 percent year-on-year, while Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao output posted a 10-percent growth over last year’s volume.
PhilFida data also showed that abaca production in all regions outside Mindanao posted declines from their year ago levels.
Abaca output in Central Visayas registered the highest year-on-year decrease at 43.3 percent, with production settling at 69.85 MT.
Abaca production in Southern Tagalog declined 27.1 percent, while output in Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas fell by 4.8 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively. Central Luzon recorded a 4.4-percent year-on-year reduction in abaca output during the five-month period. With Mauro Alfonso S. Mendoza