MANILA, Philippines — The country’s production of palay (unhusked rice) will likely decline in the third quarter due to the effects of the El Nino phenomenon that hit the country.
Based on the latest crops outlook of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), palay production is expected to drop 4.3 percent to 3.05 million metric tons (MT).
The PSA lowered this quarter’s projection from the 3.06 million MT forecast in July.
This as harvest area is seen to contract by 11 percent to 733,350 hectares.
Yield per hectare, on the other hand, may increase to 4.17 MT.
About 84.5 percent of the updated standing crop of more than 700,000 hectares had been harvested.
More than half or about 64 percent of the 1.56 million hectares of standing crop were at vegetative stage, 25 percent at reproductive stage, and 11 percent at maturing stage.
As to farmers’ planting intention, 915,720 hectares or 48 percent of perceived harvest area for October to December had been planted already. Meanwhile, corn production is expected to increase by 25 percent to 2.76 million MT.
The latest projection is lower than the earlier forecast of 2.77 million MT. This as harvest area could increase to 873,450 hectares.
Yield per hectare may likewise increase to 3.16 MT.
Of the 127,530 hectares updated standing crop, 15 percent had been harvested.
About 39 percent of the 952,300 hectares standing crop were at reproductive stage, 36 percent at maturing stage, and the remaining 25 percent were at vegetative stage.