AGRICULTURE 

The province is chiefly agricultural.  Fifty one (51%) percent of the population is engaged in agricultural activities.  For the next years, agriculture will still be the main source of employment.

Crops 

In 2001, the area planted to palay is 46,686 with a total production of 198,817 MT or an average productivity level of 4.25 MT.  This registered an increase of 0.07 MT as compared to the 2000 productivity level of 4.18 MT

The aggregate food crop production for the Province of Ilocos Sur summed up to 367,900 metric tons for CY 2001.  Rice garnered the highest share of 50 percent followed by vegetables 18 percent and fruits 12 percent.

Rice Production

Rice production totaled 198,817 metric tons.  The area harvested was 46,686 hectares with a productivity level of 4.25 metric tons per hectare.

Corn Production

The province had a total corn production of 35,060 metric tons with a total harvested area of 8,200 hectares with a productivity level of 4.27 metric tons per hectare.

Vegetable Production

 The province produced vegetables estimated at 50,914 metric tons from a total harvested area of 5,841 hectares.

Legume Production

The province has an estimated legume production of 2,860 metric tons from an area of 2,336 hectares.

Root Crop Production

The volume of production for root crops is estimated at 8,420 metric tons from an area harvested of 1,,065 hectares.

Fruit Production

Fruit production in the province summed up to 31,229 metric tons from an area of 1,637 hectares.

Tobacco

The province is the foremost province producing Virginia Tobacco.  It is the primary agricultural product providing cash to the people and infusing money supply to the economy.  In 2000, a total of 22,636.8 MT of tobacco was produced and traded in the province with an equivalent money value of PhP 746,587,424.00.  For the succeeding years, the industry will stay and remain as the major source of income for tobacco farmers and the provincial economy will benefit from the excise tax derived from it.

SUFFICIENCY LEVELS

With regards to the sufficiency levels on the different food crops, based on the demand versus the consumption analysis, there are municipalities that are deficient in rice, however, overall provincial data shows that the province is producing enough rice to support the food requirement of the total provincial population.

The deficiency in corn production is not so much a problem because this grain is not the staple food of the people but generally  it is used for animal feeds.

On vegetables the province has an estimated surplus of 29,637 metric tons. This is true with legumes with an estimated surplus of 1,162 metric tons. The province is deficient in root crops by at least 27,553 metric tons.

VALUE OF PRODUCTION

The value of production of food crops is estimated at P3,277,774,200.00 with the following breakdown:

Livestock and Poultry

The province has a total livestock and poultry production of 13,687.06 metric tons with pork and carabeef registering the biggest and least production, respectively.

Fishery & Aquatic Resources

The province has a long coastline totaling to 136 km.  as a fishery resource.  Its vast marine waters are a migratory path of tuna and other pelagic fish species.  In spite of the potential resource, and the considerably good enough production of marine fishes, still the province is deficient in fish supply.

Fishing is a major industry with a sizeable number of the population who are engaged in it.  This is so,  since 18 of the 34 municipalities are located along the coast.

On commercial waters, the province has a total of 1,500 hectares of which 25.50 hectares are lakes, 1,285.76 are rivers, 133.95 are creeks, 140 are dams and 48.74 belong to other areas. 

On brackishwater and aquaculture production there is an area of 369.435 hectares for brackishwater fishing.  An area of 177.80 hectares is devoted to freshwater fishing.

On municipal fishing, there is a total of 5,420 for both motorized and non- motorized banca with a total of 8,239 operators.  Fishing methods/gears  used are gill net, beach seine, long line, hook and line and cast net.  Species of fish caught are siganid, flying fish, swordfish, lapu-lapu and talakitok.  Payaos or artificial fish shelters are established to attract fishes so as to increase the fish production.  At present, there are 308 existing  payaos in the province 

On commercial fishing, there are two (2) commercial boats operating in the province while an area of 5 hectares is devoted to oyster farming. There are two commercial fishing gears with an aggrerate tonnage of 10 MT.  Using the ring net, species of fish caught  are tuna, round scad, baranite red eye.

The total estimated production on fishery is 10,500.50 metric tons valued at PhP495,623,600.00.

The province is still deficient in fish by at least 10,890.91 metric tons.

The total fishfarmers in the province is estimated at 8,557.

Agricultural Facilities and Other Related Services 

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES 

There are at present 34 extension services units in the province with a total number of 279 staff/extension workers assigned in the different municipalities of the province.

There is one (1) animal breeding station for swine located at Labut, Santa, Ilocos Sur.  There are also experimental stations for both fishery and crops located at Banayoyo, Bantay, San Ildefonso, Sta. Maria and at the Provincial Agriculture Office at Vigan.

There are also 106 authorized fertilizers and pesticides and feeds and biologics dealers in the province.

On store and warehousing facilities, there are 25 warehousing facilities on crops and 2 units on fishery but the other one which is found in Sta. Maria is non-operational.

AGRARIAN REFORM

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of Ilocos Sur has a scope of 17,430.6528 hectares covering 5 hectares and above.  However, total land distributed as of December 2001 was 19,052.7844 hectares benefiting 22,048 farmers.

As of December 2001, there are 30 established Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in the province.  These are located in the two (2) cities and 25 municipalities.  These ARCs have a total of 7,724 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) who are recipient of the Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) Program of the DAR.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

As of 2001, there are 5,817 establishments registered with the Provincial Office of the Department of Trade and Industry.  These establishments have a total employment of 15,038 and a capitalization of PhP1,497,980,777.50.

By sector, trading establishments got the lion’s share in employment generation and capitalization, followed by the services sector, manufacturing and construction.