MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is banking on higher yield to hit its record-high target palay production this year of 20.46 million metric tons (MT) despite a relatively flat output in the first quarter.
DA deputy spokesperson Joycel Panlilio said the department remains “very optimistic” that the palay production target would be achieved this year, eclipsing the previous record-high of 20.06 million MT in 2023.
Panlilio said improved farm productivity, as measured by yield, as a result of state interventions would lift overall palay production this year. She also noted that the shrinkage in total palay area harvested in the first quarter could be caused by delayed planting by some farmers like those in the Cagayan Valley region.
“Their production will reflect in the second quarter figures,” she said in a press briefing yesterday.
Furthermore, Panlilio said the double dry cropping season program spearheaded by the National Irrigation Administration would also contribute to the attainment of the palay production target this year.
The country’s palay harvest in the first quarter remained relatively flat at nearly 4.7 million MT as planted area shrank, mitigated by higher yield.
The country produced 4.69 million MT of palay in the first three months, relatively unchanged compared to the 4.68 million MT recorded in the same period last year.
However, the overall palay production performance in the first quarter was still lower than the 4.78 million MT volume produced in the same period in 2023, when the country posted its record-high harvest.
PSA data showed that palay harvest area shrank by almost two percent year-on-year to 1.15 million hectares from 1.17 million hectares. Notably, planted areas of both rainfed and irrigated palay declined during the first quarter.
The drop in harvest area was mitigated by the hike in yield, preventing the total harvest from declining from last year’s figures.
The DA noted that the average palay yield in the first quarter of 4.09 MT per hectare is the highest recorded since 1987.