Bukidnon, long dubbed the “Food Basket of Mindanao,” has decisively retained its rank as the Philippines’ leading agricultural, forestry, and fishery (AFF) producer.
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the landlocked province emerged as the largest contributor to the sector’s gross value added (GVA) in 2024.
The province’s total AFF output reached a significant P129.03 billion, capturing 7.3 percent of the national sector’s P1.78 trillion total.
This performance cemented Bukidnon’s dominance, surpassing 81 other provinces and 33 highly urbanized cities across the archipelago.
Bukidnon’s role as an agricultural powerhouse stems from its favorable, typhoon-free climate and geography, which support the cultivation and production of a wide array of commodities.
The province is a major national source for rice, corn, sugar, coffee, rubber, pineapple, tomato, flowers, and cassava, alongside livestock such as chicken, hogs, and cattle.
It is notably home to the vast pineapple plantation and juicing facility operated by consumer giant Del Monte Philippines.
The province’s strong showing stands in stark contrast to the challenges faced by the national agricultural sector, which posted a 1.5-percent decrease in the previous year.
Bukidnon’s growth was achieved despite 2024 being marked by extreme weather conditions, including the El Niño phenomenon in the first half and a series of storms and La Niña in the second half.
While Bukidnon led the pack, the PSA noted that other provinces collectively accounted for a substantial 36.3 percent of the overall AFF production.
The provinces rounding out the top contributors include Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Isabela, Batangas, Davao del Norte, Negros Occidental, Tarlac, and Quezon.