By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas
Paddy-rice production in the first half of the year could reach 8.54 million metric tons (MMT), 11.68 percent higher than the 7.65 MMT recorded a year ago, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In the latest “Rice and Corn Situation Outlook,” the PSA said favorable weather would boost unmilled rice output in the January-to-June period.
“Based on standing crop and planting intentions of 2.08 million hectares, the January to June 2017 probable production may reach 8.54 million MT, 11.68 percent higher than the previous year’s output of 7.65-million MT,” the PSA said.
“Harvest area may expand by 7.62 percent, from 1.93 million hectares in 2016. Moreover, yield may escalate to 4.11 MT per hectare from the previous year’s level at 3.96 MT per hectare, or by 3.77 percent,” it added.
Based on standing crop, the PSA said output in the January-to-March period could go up by 15.22 percent to 4.53 MMT, from 3.93 MMT last year on the back of the expansion in harvest area and yield per hectare.
“Probable increments in production are foreseen in all regions except Calabarzon [Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon]. These may be attributed to the increase in harvest area and better yield due to adequate supply of water during plant growth and more farmers used high-yielding variety seeds,” the PSA report read.
Based on farmers’ planting intentions, production in the April-to-June period could grow by 7.94 percent to 4.01 MMT, from 3.71 MMT recorded a year ago.
Despite the expansion in harvest area, the PSA said yield may drop to 4.36 MT per hectare compared to 4.38 MT per hectare recorded in the second quarter of 2016.
“Probable increases in harvest area are expected in the Visayas and Mindanao regions after drought or dry spell the previous year,” it said.
“Most of the farmers’ foresee good weather that may result to more plantings during this cropping period,” the PSA added.
Rice output in 2016 settled at 17.63 MMT, 2.88 percent lower than the 18.15 MMT recorded in 2015, the PSA said. The PSA attributed the output drop to the reduction in harvest area and yield caused by the typhoons that hit the country in the last quarter of 2016.
The PSA said favorable weather would aso allow the country’s corn output to expand in the first semester of the year. Production could grow by 29.92 percent to 3.67 MMT, from 2.83 MMT posted a year ago.
Production in the January to March period could go up by nearly a quarter or 24.98 percent to 2.4 MMT, from the 1.92 MMT recorded last year. The PSA attributed this to the probable expansion in harvest area and the increase in yield.
“Probable increases in production are anticipated in all regions except in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga,” the PSA report read.
Based on farmers’ planting intention, corn output in the second quarter of the year could go up by 40.32 percent to 1.278 MMT, from 911,000 MT recorded a year ago.
“Bulk of this output will come from Cagayan Valley and Soccsksargen,” the report read.
“All regions may increase in harvest area since farmers are optimistic on sufficient rainfall during planting period, except in Calabarzon and Bicol. In Northern Mindanao some tobacco areas may be planted with corn during this period,” it added.
Corn production in 2016 reached 7.22 MMT, 3.99 percent lower than the 7.52 MMT recorded in 2015 due to decline in harvest area and yield.
