‘Palay’ output seen rising by 7.5% in Q1

PHILIPPINE palay (unhusked rice) production is seen increasing by 7.5 percent to 4.583 million metric tons (MT) in the first quarter of the year as compared to the previous year’s 4.261 million MT, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Thursday.

In its report titled “Updates on Palay and Corn Estimates,” PSA revised its earlier estimate of 4.581 million MT for the January-March period.

The updated forecast showed that while harvest area may decline by 4.6 percent from 1.098 million hectares in the first quarter of 2020, yield per hectare may increase to 3.99 MT from 3.88 MT.

About 259,710 hectares or 22.6 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested, PSA said.

Of the total land area, 42.8 percent of the rice plants were at the reproductive stage, 35.1 percent at the vegetative stage, and 22.1 percent at the maturing stage.

As for planting intentions for the first three months of 2020, PSA said about 63.9 percent or 593,940 hectares have been actually planted.

In the same report, PSA said the updated corn production for January-March based on standing crop as of February 1 may reach 2.52 million MT, as compared to the 2.53 million MT January estimate. Year-on-year, however, the latest estimate would be higher by 9.6 percent from 2.30 million MT of palay produced in 2020.

PSA said harvest area may expand to 699,970 hectares from 683,830 hectares a year ago. Yield per hectare, meanwhile, may increase to 3.60 MT from 3.36 MT.

About 244,100 hectares or 34.9 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.

“Of the total area of 635.99 thousand hectares of standing crop for the April to June 2021 harvests, 30.1 percent were at vegetative stage, 38.9 percent at reproductive stage, and 31.0 percent at maturing stage,” PSA said.

For January-March period, around 188,990 hectares or 47.3 percent of the planting intentions have been realized, it added.