Western Visayas headline inflation or overall inflation increased to 3.1 percent in March 2024, from 2.7 percent in February 2024. The regional average inflation from January to March 2024 is 2.6 percent. The inflation rate in March 2023 was higher at 9.1 percent.
Western Visayas headline inflation or overall inflation hastened to 2.7 percent in February 2024, from 2.0 percent in January 2024. The regional average inflation from January to February 2024 is 2.3 percent. The inflation rate in February 2023 was higher at 10.8 percent.
Two of the four livestock animal types in Western Visayas recorded a decrease in production during the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the same quarter last year. Hog production, estimated at 30,455.07 metric tons for the fourth quarter of 2023, declined by 44.0 percent against the production of 54,389.55 metric tons in the fourth quarter of 2022. Similarly, Carabao production decreased by 0.3 percent, or at 4,211.70 metric tons from 4,223.65 metric tons in 2022.
The total fisheries production of Western Visayas in the year of 2023 was estimated at 325,011.2 metric tons. The production decreased by 3.1 percent or 10,317.2 metric tons less from 2022’s reported volume of production. The decrease was attributed to the commercial and municipal fisheries subsectors with decreases of 4.7 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively. On the other hand, aquaculture fisheries increased by 5.8 percent.
The total fisheries production of Western Visayas in the fourth quarter of 2023 was estimated at 69,151.2 metric tons. The production decreased by 11.1 percent or about 8,665 metric tons less from the same quarter of 2022’s reported volume of production. The subsectors of aquaculture, municipal, and commercial fisheries attributed to the decline, with negative 15.0 percent, 1.3 percent, and 15.8 percent, respectively. Moreover, marine and inland municipal fisheries decreased by 0.4 percent and 24.6 percent, respectively
The total corn production of Western Visayas in 2023 was estimated at 329,148.8 metric tons which was 4.5 percent lower than the previous year’s corn production. Similarly, the region’s recorded total area harvested was 104,671.7 hectares and 6.5 percent lower than the area harvested in 2022.
The total corn production of Western Visayas in the fourth quarter of 2023 was estimated at 55,456.5 metric tons which was 10.5 percent lower than the fourth quarter of the previous year’s corn production. Moreover, the region’s recorded total area harvested was 18,964.0 hectares which was 11.5 percent lower than the area harvested in 2022 of the same quarter.
The total palay production of Western Visayas in 2023 was estimated at 2,263,158.3 metric tons. It decreased by 2.5 percent or 58,435.4 metric tons less compared with 2022. Likewise, the total area harvested in 2023 is estimated at 666,296.0 hectares and was 2.2 percent lower than last year.
Western Visayas headline inflation or overall inflation slowed down further to 2.0 percent in January 2024, from 3.2 percent in December 2023. It is the lowest inflation rate since November 2019 when monthly inflation rate of 1.3 percent was recorded. The inflation rate in January 2023 was higher at 10.3 percent.
