Palay output slightly up in Q4

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s production of palay (unhusked rice) likely inched up in the fourth quarter despite the consecutive typhoons that hit the farm sector.

Based on the latest crop estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), palay production from October to December may still increase by a minimal 0.6 percent to 7.54 million metric tons (MT).

Output during the same period last year reached 7.49 million MT.

The Philippines lost some 322,041 MT of palay, which is roughly equivalent to an eight-day rice supply, because of the typhoons that hit Luzon last October and November.

The slight uptick in production is expected despite the 0.8 percent decline in harvest area for the quarter to about 1.7 million hectares.

Yield per hectare, on the other hand, may rise to 4.13 MT from 4.07 MT in the previous year level.

About 61 percent of the updated standing crops have already been harvested.

As for the farmer’s planting intentions for the period, about 426,340 hectares or 37 percent of the perceived area have been actually planted.

For the first quarter of 2021, about 38 percent of the standing crop were at vegetative stage, 23 percent at reproductive stage, and 39 percent at maturing stage.

Meanwhile, corn production for the fourth quarter may go up by 1.4 percent to 1.68 million MT from the 1.66 million MT recorded last year.

The latest projection is just slightly lower than the 1.69 million MT earlier forecast.

This as harvest area may inch up 0.5 to 561,790 hectares from 559,030 hectares in 2019. Yield per hectare may also increase to 2.99 MT from 2.97 MT.

Around 245,270 hectares or 43.7 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.

With reference to the farmer’s planting intentions, 279,310 hectares or 39 percent of the area have been planted.