The country’s paddy rice production likely rose to a record high in the first half due to the expansion in harvest area and yield, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA data analyzed by the BusinessMirror showed that palay output in the January-to-June period likely increased by 5.72 percent or 480,243 MT to 8.87 million metric tons (MMT), from 8.38 MMT a year ago.
The estimated first half palay output is the highest in Philippine history, eclipsing the previous record of 8.71 MMT set in 2018.
Based on the latest forecast of the PSA, palay production in April to June likely went up by about 110,000 MT to a record 4.24 MMT.
“The updated estimate of palay production for the period April to June 2021 as of 01 May 2021 is higher by 0.3 percent from its estimate of 4.23 million metric tons as of 01 April 2021,” the PSA report read.
The BusinessMirror first reported that the country’s palay production this year is off to a good start as first-quarter harvest grew by 8.57 percent to 4.626 MMT, the highest volume produced on record for the January-to-March period.
Despite a slight contraction in the second quarter, total palay harvest area in the first half may have gone up by 2.05 percent to 2.096 million hectares from last year’s 2.054 million hectares.
PSA data also showed that average rice yield in the first half likely expanded by 3.6 percent to 4.23 metric tons per hectare (MT/HA) from 4.08 MT/HA recorded last year. Historical PSA data showed that the figure is the highest ever first half yield.
“We have been working hard toward achieving this production growth. We hope we can do better this second semester,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar told the BusinessMirror via SMS.
In the second quarter alone, the PSA said average palay yield may have expanded to 4.47 MT/HA from last year’s 4.32 MT/HA. Historical PSA data showed that the figure is the country’s largest quarterly yield.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) expressed confidence that it would be able to achieve its target of producing 20.4 MMT of palay particularly if devastating typhoons will not visit the country this year.
Government officials and experts attributed the increase in rice harvest to the rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEF), which seeks to make Filipino planters competitive against their counterparts in Asean.
The Philippines produced a record 19.44 MMT of palay last year, which translates to a self-sufficiency level of 90 percent. This sufficiency level would rise to 95 percent if the government would be able to hit its production target for 2021, the DA said.
Due to the expected increase in rice production this year, the United States Department of Agriculture has projected that Philippine rice imports would decline by 14.28 percent to 2.1 MMT. Despite the contraction in volume, the Philippines would remain as the world’s second biggest buyer of rice for the second consecutive year.