Based on the new data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines’ palay (unhusked rice) production is expected to rise in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, it is expected that corn production will drop.
Palay Production May Rise
Data reveals that palay production can increase by 7.6 percent from October to December. This means production will reach 7.7 million metric tons.
According to Phil Star, output between October and December of 2018 just stood at 7.16 million metric tons.
Despite the expected increase, this is already a lowered projection from the earlier forecast.
The PSA originally thought the production could reach 7.73 million MT.
The new data also revealed that harvest areas for the quarter could improve by 1.5 percent. If accurate, this will reach nearly 1.9 million hectares.
Relevant to this is the yield per hectare. According to the PSA, this rate may decrease down to 4.11 MT.
The fourth quarter of 2018 posted 4.12 MT in relation to yield per hectare.
At present, there are already harvests of already around 60.3 percent of the updated standing crop of over 1.12 million hectares.
Moreover, nearly 50 percent of the 1.05 million hectares of standing crop are already at their maturing stage. Also, 33 percent is already at the vegetative stage. The remaining 18 percent is currently at the reproductive stage,
A significant 26.6 percent of the farmers’ rice planting intentions for the period have also been met.
Farmers already planted 310,220 hectares.
Corn Production Expected to Decline
Despite these good rates, corn production for the quarter is likely to go down.
There is an expected decline of 6.8 percent to just 1.68 MT.
This new data-backed projection is slightly lower than the past projection of 1.69 million MT.
The decline is attributable to the declining of the harvest area.
At present, the harvest area is down to 561,470 hectares. In 2018, the number was at 611,800.
Given the smaller harvest area, yield per hectare can increase by 0.05 MT, going from 2.95 MT to 3 MT.
An estimate of 246,660 hectares, equivalent to already 43.9 percent of the updated standing crop already have harvests.
With regard to the 540,000 hectares, around 45 percent are already at the vegetative stage.
Moreover, around 28 percent are already at the maturing stage. Meanwhile, 27 percent are still at the vegetative stage.
As for the farmers’ planting intentions, they already met 32.2 percent.
This means farmers already planted around 235,610 hectares.
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