Palay output likely rose 5% in first half

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects palay output to have risen five percent in the first semester of the year from 7.57 million metric tons (MT) in the same period last year.

DA Assistant Secretary and National Rice Program coordinator Dante Delima said this is because more farmers practiced advance cropping during the early part of the year.

Early this year, the department urged farmers to advance their cropping calendar by a month or two to prevent crop destruction caused by typhoons that enter the country during the months of October to November.

The DA, through its National Rice Program directorate and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), would enhance irrigation systems in rice producing regions.

Delima said some 150,000 hectares of irrigated farms – some of which are located in Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley) and 3 (Central Luzon) – were used for early cropping in the first semester.

The advance cropping scheme, which took place in April and May, is expected to have yielded some 700,000 MT of palay. The regular cropping season for palay begins in June, the output for which will be added to the total of the first half.

Palay output in the first half of 2009 was 7.37 million MT while palay production in 2010 was 6.62 million MT.

Delima said the “reliable” sources of palay are now veering away from traditional palay sources such as Regions 2 and 3. These now include the province of Iloilo and other provinces in Western Visayas, Region 12 (Soccksargen) and Region 13 (Caraga).

 “ARMM is also now serious (in improving palay output),” Delima said.

The National Rice Program has allocated P200 million for ARMM to support its palay production efforts such as the increased utilization of idle lands and improvement of palay seed quality.