Palay output seen to grow by 7.5% in Q1

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s production of palay (unhusked rice) is seen to increase by 7.5 percent in the first quarter, based on updated estimates from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

According to the PSA, palay production during the period is forecast to rise to 4.583 million metric tons (MT) based on standing crops as of Feb. 1. This is 0.04 percent higher than the initial estimate PSA made in January of 4.581 million MT.

“The January to March 2021 estimated palay production indicates a possible uptrend of 7.5 percent,” PSA said.

PSA said harvest area may increase by 4.6 percent from 1.1 million hectares while yield per hectare may rise increase to 3.99 MT, from 3.88 MT in the same period of the previous year,” the PSA said.

It said about 259,710 hectares or 22.6 percent of the updated standing crop had been harvested and 593,940 MT or 63.9 percent of the perceived area had been actually planted.

Meanwhile, the PSA also revised its forecast for corn production in the first quarter to 2.52 million MT, lower than the earlier estimate of 2.53 million MT. Harvest area may increase to 699,970 hectares from 683,830 hectares from the same period last year.

The PSA reported that around 244,100 hectares or 34.9 percent of the updated standing crop had been harvested.

Of the total 635,990 hectares of standing crop to be harvested in April to June, 30.1 percent were at vegetative stage, 38.9 percent at the reproductive stage, and 31 percent at maturing stage.

The PSA reported earlier a drop in the average farmgate price of palay to P16.64 per kilo in the third week of January, 0.5 percent lower than the P16.72 per kilo the previous week.

In contrast, average farmgate price of yellow corn grain increased by 0.9 percent to P12.63 per kilo during the week.

Similarly, average farmgate price of white corn grain rose 3.1 percent to P14.25 per kilo.