THE country’s palay production in the first quarter could still remain above the 4.5-million metric ton (MMT) level and higher than the previous year’s output, despite the detrimental effects of pests and typhoons, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
In its report, titled “Updates on January-March 2018 Palay and Corn Estimates,” the PSA revised downward its production forecast for the first quarter to 4.59 MMT, from 4.67 MMT it projected in January.
“This may be higher by 3.8 percent from the previous year’s output of 4.42 MMT,” the PSA said in the report published recently.
The PSA said it reduced its projection following reports of typhoon damages and pest infestations in some rice-producing provinces of the country.
“The possible factors contributing to the decrease of palay output may be due to effects of typhoons Urduja in Capiz and Vinta in Zamboanga Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay last December 2017,” it said.
“Lower yield in Mindoro Oriental and Leyte resulting from occurrence of rains during the reproductive and maturing stages of palay and rice-bug infestation in Tarlac and Iloilo,” it added.
Due to these reasons, the PSA now projects that total palay area harvested in the January-to-March period “may contract by 547 hectares from the 1.0192 million hectares.” Meanwhile, average palay yield in the first quarter would settle at 3.85 MT per hectare, slightly lower than the 3.92 MT per hectare projected yield in January, the PSA said.
The report noted that about 223,780 hectares, or 18.77 percent, of the updated standing crop for the January-to-March period have been harvested.
The PSA added that around 619,520 hectares, or 68.1 percent, of the farmers’ planting intentions for the second quarter have materialized.
“Of the [1.587 million] hectares standing palay crop, 46.9 percent were at vegetative stage; 31.7 percent, at reproductive stage; and 21.4 percent, at maturing stagem,” the report read.
In the same report, the PSA also reduced its corn-output forecast in the first quarter to 2.46 MMT, from the 2.49-MMT projection in January.
“This may be higher by 4.1 percent from the previous year’s output of 2.37 MMT,” it said.
“Harvest area may decline by 0.1 percent from the 720,210-hectare level. Likewise, yield per hectare may drop to 3.42 MT per hectare, from 3.45 MT per hectare,” it added.
The PSA said it cut its corn-production projection following the effects of typhoons Urduja and Vinta in corn-producing provinces, such as Cebu, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.
The PSA said planthopper infestation in Ifugao and continuous rains in Isabela, Negros Oriental and South Cotabato reduced the total possible corn output in the said areas.
“About 150,810 hectares, or 20.9 percent, of the updated standing crop, have been harvested,” it said.