Palay output projected to grow 2% in H1

MANILA, Philippines - Palay (unhusked rice) production in the first semester of the year is expected to rise 2.02 percent to 8.55 million metric tons (MT) because of probable growth in production and harvest areas in several provinces, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported yesterday.

Probable growth in production and harvest area for palay are expected in Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Soccsksargen and the Bicol region.

Palay production in the first half of the year is expected to top the 2014 first semester production of 8.38 million MT as harvest areas are expected to increase 0.07 percent from 2.098 million hectares last year to 2.099 million hectares this year.

Yield per hectare is also expected to rise from 2.99 MT per hectare to 40.07 per hectare.

Based on standing crop, palay production is expected to reach 4.59 million MT in the first quarter of the year, up 6.62 percent from production of 4.31 million MT is January to March 2014.

Harvest areas are expected to expand to 1.17 million hectares in the first quarter from 1.16 million hectares in the same period last year. Yield per hectare is seen to improve by 5.6 percent to 3.93 MT from 3.72 MT.

In Cagayan Valley, probable increase in production is attributable to early planting as irrigation from rainfall and man-made systems are sufficient. More farmers are also using hybrid seeds and are availing of seeds from community seed banks.

Movements of harvest from December 2014 to January 2015 in some provinces is also seen to give first semester production a boost.

In 2015, the Philippines is expected to produce more than 20 million MT after producing 18.97 million MT in 2014.

Corn production in the first semester, meanwhile, is seen to increase 6.02 percent to 3.69 million MT from 3.48 million MT on expectation of larger output from Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas and Davao Region

Harvest areas are seen to increase by 2.55 percent to 1.123 million hectares from 1.095 million. Yield per hectare may rise to 3.29 MT per hectare in the first quarter of the year from 3.18 MT per hectare in the same period last year.

The probable increase in corn production in the first half of the year is attributable to early planting because of availability of rainfall, and low cost and high-yielding seeds.

In Western Visayas, improved cultivation practices and expansion of areas dedicated to white corn is seen to contribute to domestic production.

The Philippines aims to produce 8.4 million MT of corn in 2015 after producing 7.77 million MT of corn in 2014. Last year’s production level is higher by 5.33 percent than the production level of 7.38 million MT in 2013.