Palay output up 38% in '99

Philippine palay production in 1999 reached 1.8 million metric tons, exceeding the 1998 output by 37.8 percent and that of 1997 by 4.6 percent.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara furnished The STAR, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics said the increase was brought about by the 26.2-percent and 9.3-percent increases in area harvested and yield, respectively.

BAS executive director Romeo Recide said production last year could have been much higher were it not for the losses incurred in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Western Visayas from La Niña and sporadic infestations like rats, tungo, rice buys, stemborer, among others.

Corn output last year, meanwhile, reached 4.6 million tons, 20 percent over 1998 and 5.8 percent more than 1997 levels, respectively. The big gain (103.1 percent) in the first semester outweigh the harvest shortfall (11.1 percent) during the second semester brought about by the ill effects of La Niña and too wet soil resulting in stalk rot and fungal damages. Total corn area for the year went up by 12.2f percent, and yield, by 7.4 percent.

July to December 1999 palay output hit 6.5 million tons, surpassing the 1998 output during the second semester by 30.4 percent. BAS said this was the result of a 19.6 percent expansion in areas harvested and 9.1 percent growth in productivity. The highest production gain of 79.4 percent was in the Bicol region with area harvested expanding by 43.7 percent and yield increase of 25.1 percent due to improve weather conditions and use of good seeds.

Despite a minimal 0.6 percent increase in area harvested, total palay production for October to December 1999 reached 4.3 million tons, 14.9 percent higher than last year's output following in 14.3 percent increase in yield.

For January to June 2000 BAS expects a palay crop of 5.4 million tons, 2.4 percent more than the output during the first semester of 1999. Recide said the increase would come from the second quarter brought about by the movement of harvest from the first quarter and the expected continuous supply of irrigation to sustain crop growth.

BAS added that the projected huge shortfall of around 103,600 tons or a drop of 15.2 percent in palay output of Western Visayas may be surpassed by the anticipated gains in Cagayan Valley, Western Mindanao, Southern Tagalog, and Caraga.

Meanwhile, firs quarter 2000 palay output is expected to reach three million tons, which is 0.8 percent lower than the production during the same quarter last year due to an expected reduction in area harvested by three percent. This despite the probable 2.4 percent increase in yield per hectare.