DA says 2013 palay production to exceed 2012 output

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects last year’s palay (unhusked rice) production to have exceeded the 2012 production  level despite the damage inflicted by Typhoon Yolanda on Visayas rice lands, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said yesterday.

He said that based on initial reports from regional field units, last year’s production likely surpassed the 2012 production level of 18.03 million metric tons (MT).

The government originally targeted to produce 19 million MT of palay this year. Last year’s farm production figures are still being finalized.

“Definitely, production in 2013 would be higher than in 2012,” said Alcala.

Because of the extent of damage caused by the super typhoon, the National Food Authority Council approved the importation of 500,000 MT of rice from Vietnam to used for buffer stocking. Delivery started last month and is expected to be completed within the quarter.

After the onslaught of Yolanda, the Agriculture department assessed that flat growth in palay production could be expected in 2013.

“We thought, previously, that production would be flat for this year but positive growth in Region 3 has pulled up palay production figures,” said Dante Delima, Agriculture Secretary and National Rice Program coordinator.

The Department of Agriculture expects palay production to grow by four to five percent annually within the next three years, an organic growth rate with normal intervention by the government.

To meet the domestic demand and fulfill the buffer stocking requirment, palay production needs to grow by six percent annually.

“That is why we are reviewing our programs and identifying interventions needed to achieve this,” said Delima.