Davao Region Reports Decrease in Palay and Corn Output for Fourth Quarter 2025
According to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on February 23, 2026, palay and corn production in Davao Region experienced a decline during the fourth quarter of 2025 when compared to the same period in 2024. The figures highlight ongoing challenges in the agricultural sector of this key Philippine region.
Palay Production Shows Mixed Results
Palay output dropped by 9 percent, falling to 113,281.58 metric tons from 124,434.23 metric tons in 2024. The harvested area also contracted significantly, decreasing by 11 percent to 23,976.12 hectares, indicating that fewer fields were brought to harvest during the quarter.
Despite these declines in volume and area, there was a positive note in terms of productivity. Average yield improved by 2.3 percent, rising to 4.72 metric tons per hectare from 4.62 metric tons per hectare. This suggests that farmers may have adopted more efficient practices or benefited from favorable conditions on the fields that were harvested.
Irrigated farms were the primary contributors to the rice harvest, producing 88.8 percent of the total output, while rainfed farms accounted for the remaining 11.2 percent. Among the provinces, Davao del Norte led in palay production with 34,875.35 metric tons, making up approximately 30.8 percent of the regional total.
Davao de Oro followed closely with 34,019.74 metric tons, and Davao Oriental produced 22,626.64 metric tons. Together, these three provinces generated 80.8 percent of the region's palay supply for the quarter, underscoring their critical role in local agriculture.
Corn Production Also Declines
Corn production similarly saw a downturn, falling by 5.9 percent to 86,916.15 metric tons from 92,406.56 metric tons in the same quarter of the previous year. The harvested corn area slipped to 52,830.95 hectares from 54,922.01 hectares.
In contrast to palay, corn yield dipped by 2.2 percent, decreasing to 1.65 metric tons per hectare from 1.68 metric tons per hectare. This indicates broader challenges affecting corn cultivation in the region.
White corn dominated regional production, accounting for 81.7 percent of the total output, while yellow corn made up 18.3 percent. Provincial data revealed Davao Oriental as the top corn producer, with about 24,849 metric tons or 28.6 percent of the regional total.
Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro followed, and together with Davao Oriental, these provinces accounted for 66.1 percent of total corn production, highlighting their importance in the corn supply chain.
Data Collection and Methodology
The Philippine Statistics Authority noted that its estimates for palay and corn production are derived from quarterly farm surveys. These surveys track various aspects, including production levels, harvested areas, yields, input usage, and planting intentions, providing a comprehensive overview of agricultural trends in the region.
