THE country’s production of unhusked rice likely fell by an annualized rate of 5.6 percent in April to June due to the contraction in harvest area, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said in its latest report.
Based on standing crop, the PSA said in its report, titled “Updated Palay and Corn Estimates,” that palay production in the second quarter of the year was slightly lower than its previous estimate of 3.86 million metric tons.
Harvest area in the April-to-June period shrank by some 18,000 hectares, from 932,790 hectares recorded a year ago, while yield per hectare likely fell by 3.7 percent from last year’s 4.38 metric tons.
Of the 914,460 hectares planted with rice, the PSA said 89.2 percent have been harvested.
“As to farmers’ planting intention, 314,890 hectares or 37.6 percent of perceived harvest area for July-September have been actually planted,” the report read.
Despite the onslaught of El Niño, the Department of Agriculture said it remains optimistic that Philippine rice production would reach a record high of 20 MMT this year.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the DA is banking on the increase in wet season harvest to offset palay damaged by the weather phenomenon.
The country’s unmilled rice output in 2018 declined by 1.09 percent to 19.066 MMT, from 19.276 MMT recorded in 2017.
The reduction in output was attributed to a series of weather disturbances, including a super typhoon, last year.
The PSA also adjusted downward its projection for corn production during the second quarter. Based on standing crop, the report indicated that corn production likely fell to 1.15 MMT, 10.2 percent lower than last year’s harvest and 1.5 percent lower than its previous estimate of 1.17 MMT.
“Also, harvest area may decrease to 374,840 hectares, from 392,360 hectares in 2018. Moreover, yield per hectare may decline to 3.08 MT, from 3.27 MT in 2018,” the report read.
Of the 374,840 hectares updated standing crop, the PSA noted that nearly 78 percent have been harvested. More than half (66.3 percent) or 569,610 hectares of the planting intentions of the farmers for April-June have been realized.
In its report on the performance of the farm sector, the PSA said palay and corn production in the first quarter fell by 4.46 percent and 2.07 percent, respectively, due to El Niño.
Rice output fell to a three-year low of 4.416 million metric tons from 4.622 MMT last year, while corn production declined to 2.425 MMT from 2.476 MMT in the first quarter of 2018, PSA said.
Image credits: Bernard Testa