The country’s palay (unhusked rice) production in the fourth quarter of last year may have increased by 1 percent to 7.46 million metric tons (MMT) from 7.39 MMT recorded in the same period of 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.
However, the PSA said the updated estimate of palay production for the period of October to December 2021 as of November 1, 2021 was lower by -0.9 percent from its estimate of 7.53 million metric tons as of October 1, 2021.
PSA also said the estimated harvest area for the period of October to December 2021 may decrease to 1.796 million hectares or by -0.9 percent, from 1.812 million hectares in the same period of 2020.
PSA said yield per hectare may increase to 4.15 metric tons, from 4.08 metric tons in the same period of the previous year, adding that about 1.028 million hectares or 57.2 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
As for the farmer’s planting intentions for October to December 2021, the PSA said 377,480 hectares or 32.1 percent of the perceived area have been actually planted.
Of the total area of 1.140 million hectares of standing crop for January to March 2022 harvest, the PSA said 34.7 percent were at the vegetative stage, 21.4 percent at the reproductive stage, and 43.9 percent at the maturing stage.
In the same report, the PSA said the country’s updated corn production for the period of October to December 2021 may increased to 2.13 million metric tons or by 28.8 percent, from its estimate of 1.65 million metric tons in the same period of 2020.
But PSA said the updated estimate of corn production for the period of October to December 2021 as of November 1, 2021 was lower by -0.5 percent from its estimate of 2.14 million metric tons as of October 1, 2021.
It said harvest area for the period of October to December 2021 may increase to 664,300 hectares, from 561,830 hectares in the same period of 2020.
PSA added that yield per hectare may rise to 3.20 metric tons (MT) from the 2.94 MT in the same period of the previous year.
Also, PSA said about 276,520 hectares or 41.6 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
It reported that around 227,570 hectares or 33.4 percent of the planting intentions for October to December 2021 have been realized.
Of the total area for standing corn, which is to be harvested from January to March 2022, the PSA said 40.2 percent were at the vegetative stage, 28.2 percent at the reproductive stage, and 31.6 percent at the maturing stage.
Last week, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the country’s rice production in 2021 likely exceeded 20 MMT.
“We will have new record harvest in rice in 2021 surpassing the 2020 record harvest of 19.4 million metric tons, we need to sustain that momentum so that we continue to level up the country’s rice sufficiency level,” he said.