Fruit production grows 4% in Q2

MANILA, Philippines — Production of the country’s major fruit crops continued to rise in the second quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

Latest data from the PSA showed banana production inched up four percent to 2.36 million metric tons (MT).

“This is due to the recovery from the damages caused by typhoons, bigger fruits harvested and increased number of bearing hills of Cavendish banana and more fertilizer usage in some regions,” the PSA said.

The Davao region remains the top banana producer, accounting for 40 percent of aggregate production.

Cavendish variety comprised 52 percent of the total production while saba and lakatan varieties accounted for 29 percent and nine percent, respectively.

Pineapple production also increased 3.3 percent to 697,450 MT due to high market demand and bigger and better quality of fruits due to lesser weather disturbances.

Northern Mindanao registered the largest production at 353,050 MT, representing half of national output.

Meanwhile, production of mango decreased three percent to 528,490 MT amid lesser fruits harvested due to the occurrence of rain showers and adverse effect of cecid fly during flowering stage.

Ilocos Region topped mango-producing regions, taking up 21 percent of total mango production.  Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Visayas came next with 11 percent and nine percent, respectively.

Carabao mango made up 80 percent of the country’s total mango production.

Calamansi production declined three percent to 18,390 MT due to the cutting of old and less productive trees, aphids and extreme heat, and delayed fruiting and harvesting in some farms.

Top producer Mimaropa contributed 38 percent of the total production followed by Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Luzon.