THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) regional office in Northern Mindanao reported a 29.7-percent decrease in the volume of production of industrial crops, fruits, root crop and vegetables in the second quarter of 2018.

Cecilio Clarete, chief economic development specialist of Neda-Northern Mindanao, traced the overall decline to a drop in the volume of production of sugarcane, palm fruit and cassava.

Sugarcane production, the largest contributor at 98 percent of the total industrial crop production, went down by 48.7 percent due to unfavorable weather conditions and early cut-off of milling operations in May this year.

Palm fruit output, the next biggest contributor, posted a 7.35-percent decline reportedly due to poor farm management and the cutting down of palm trees covering 31 hectares in Misamis Occidental because of a weak market.

Cassava, which comprised 98 percent of the total root crop production, went down by 0.74 percent because of the decrease in demand for industrial use and feeds during the quarter.

Neda-Northern Mindanao also noted a minimal increase of 0.81 percent in the production of banana, the biggest contributor to the total production of fruits at 52 percent.

Banana production rose to only 419,420 metric tons in the second quarter of 2018 from 416,049 metric tons produced in the same quarter of 2017.

Pineapple, which contributed 43 percent of the total fruit production, increased by 1.24 percent, bringing the total harvest for the quarter to 353,051 metric tons.

Neda said that except for carrots, vegetable production increased by almost four percent.