Philippine milled-rice production could reach a record high of nearly 12 million metric tons (MMT) this year, as the continued implementation of the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice will encourage more farmers to plant the staple.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the projected milled-rice output this year is 2.69 percent higher than the 11.686 MMT estimated production in 2017.
“The USDA estimates 2017/18 Philippines rice production at a record 12 million tons [milled basis], up 800,000 metric tons, or 7 percent from last month, and up 2 percent from last year,” the Washington-based agency said in its report, titled “World Agricultural Production,” which was published recently.
“The QR on rice imports remains in effect, incentivizing producers to stay in rice,” it added.
The USDA also said the use of high-yielding varieties and favorable weather conditions would help boost milled-rice output this year.
“Additionally, there were noticeably fewer typhoons with the potential to damage rice passing through the major production areas compared to previous years,” it added.
The USDA said the total rice area harvested this year would reach 4.8 million hectares, 1.69 percent higher than last year’s 4.72 million hectares. The country’s national average palay yield will slightly increase to 3.96 MT per hectare from the estimated 3.93 MT per hectare yield in 2017.
“Harvested area is estimated at 4.8 million hectares, tied with the previous record in 2013/14. Estimated harvested area and production were both raised based on estimates from the Philippines Statistics Agency [PSA],” the USDA said.
Because of the expected hike in output this year, the USDA trimmed down its projection for Philippine rice imports to 1.3 MMT, from 1.7 MMT.
However, the figure is still 18.18 percent higher than the 1.1 MMT estimated total import volume last year.
The USDA estimated that the country’s beginning rice stock this year is at 1.996 MMT. It pegged the country’s total rice requirement for 2018 at 12.9 MMT, while total rice stock could reach 15.266 MMT.
The Department of Agriculture said it is targeting to harvest 20.341 MMT of paddy from 4.84 million hectares this year. At this production level, the DA noted that the Philippines would be 96-percent
self-sufficient in rice.
At a milling recovery rate of 65 percent, milled-rice output this year could reach 13.22 MMT, based on the BusinessMirror’s computation.
In a report, the PSA estimated that the country’s paddy output for 2017 likely reached 19.4 MMT, 10.11 percent higher than the 18.15 MMT produced in 2016.
“Probable palay production for the October-to-December period may surpass the 2016 level by 6.26 percent.
The anticipated increment in output may be attributed to increase in yield resulting from sustained use of high-yielding varieties coupled with sufficient water supply during the early stages of crop development,” the PSA said.