Vegetables and Root Crops Production 
 In 2023, vegetables and root crops (VRC) production recorded a total of 156,826.21 metric tons. It decreased by 2,725.53 metric tons or about 1.7 percent compared to the previous year’s output of 159,551.74 metric tons.

Major Vegetables and Root Crops 
 Of the total VRC production, the province produced a total of 81,365.86 metric tons of major crops in 2023. It decreased by 2.4 percent from previous year’s level of 83,393.87 metric tons.

 Cassava had the biggest share in the total production of VRC under major classification with 37.6 percent. It was followed by camote, eggplant and tomato with 31.3 percent, 23.0 percent, and 7.2 percent, respectively. Furthermore, mongo, peanut and cabbage comprised the remaining share of 0.8 percent. 
 Cassava production in 2023 totaled 30,583.54 metric tons, lower by 1.5 percent compared to the previous year’s level of 31,051.62 metric tons. 
 Production of camote during the year was 25,502.53 metric tons, a 1.4 percent decline from the 2022 level of 25,863.34 metric tons. 
 Similarly, eggplant production was 6.6 percent lower at 18,717.22 metric tons compared to last year’s level of 20,040.79 metric tons. 
 In contrast, tomato production increased by 0.7 percent during the year registered at 5,884.40 metric tons from the previous year’s output of 5,841.29 metric tons.

Priority Vegetables and Root Crops 
 In 2023, the province produced a total of 55,634.46 metric tons of priority VRC. It showed a decrement of 1.2 percent compared to prior year’s output of 56,314.94 metric tons.

 Squash fruits had the biggest contribution of 37.3 percent to the total production of priority VRC. It was followed by ampalaya fruits and gourds with 20.3 percent and 12.1 percent shares, respectively. Moreover, pechay shared 7.7 percent while kangkong accounted for 5.8 percent.  
 The remaining 16.7 percent was the combined contribution of gabi, stringbeans, ginger, pepper, radish, habitchuelas, banana blossom, okra, and carrots to the total production.

Minor Vegetables and Root Crops 
 A total of 18,799.67 metric tons of minor VRC production was registered in the province in 2023. It decreased by 0.2 percent from previous output of 18,831.20 metric tons.

 Chayote fruit contributed the biggest share of 34.3 percent to the total minor VRC production. It was followed by green papaya, camote tops and patola with 22.9 percent, 20.9 percent and 5.2 percent shares, respectively.  
 The rest of the VRC contributed less than 5.0 percent each.

Area Planted/Harvested for Vegetables and Root Crops 
 In 2023, the area planted/harvested for VRC was recorded at 18,381.88 hectares. It decreased by 1,661.06 hectares  or 8.3 percent from last year’s figure of 20,042.94 hectares. 
 Major, priority and minor VRC recorded a decrement in terms of area planted/harvested in 2023.  
 In contrast, other VRC recorded an increment of 17.81 hectares in area planted/harvested.

(SGD.) AIRENE A. PUCYUTAN 
Provincial Statistics Officer 
PSA Quezon

NDP/EAD/CCR