16% hike in palay, corn output seen

MANILA, Philippines - Palay (paddy rice) and corn production for the first quarter next year is expected to recover compared to the first quarter this year.

According to projections released yesterday by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (DA-BAS), palay production based on farmers’ planting intentions for January to March next year will reach 4.053 million metric tons for a 16.1-percent increase over this year’s first quarter actual production of 3.492 million MT.

 The DA-BAS data show that the area of production is projected to increase by 10.8 percent to 1.134 million hectares in the first quarter next year compared to only 1.024 million hectares this year.

Furthermore, the DA-BAS is projecting a 4.8-percent increase in yield for the first quarter of 2011.

Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas are expected to account for 76.8 percent of the probable growth in palay production at the national level with probable harvest areas in those regions seen to increase by at least 36 percent each compared to last year’s level.

The same positive scenario is projected by the DA-BAS for corn production from January to March next year with a 24-percent increase to 1.986 million MT from the first quarter 2010 production of 1.602 million MT.