PHILSTAR

THE second-quarter official estimate for production of palay, or unmilled rice, has been reduced to 4.17 million metric tons (MT), down 1.4% from the previous estimate of 4.23 million MT issued in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.  

In a report Wednesday, the PSA said its new estimate for the three months to June was based on the status of the standing crop as of June 1.

The projection, if realized, will represent a 1.2% year-on-year increase from the year-earlier output of 4.13 million MT.

The expected area to be harvested for the quarter fell 0.8% from a year earlier to 947,835 hectares.

The yield per hectare was estimated to increase 1.9% to 4.40 MT.

A total of 830,122 hectares of the updated standing crop, equivalent to 3.71 million MT, has been harvested.

“Of the total area of 541,279 hectares of standing crop for the July to September 2021 harvest, 54.8% was at the vegetative stage, 24.4% at the reproductive stage, and 20.7% at the maturing stage,” the PSA said.

Meanwhile, the PSA said corn production estimate for the second quarter was upgraded by 0.1% from April to 1.454 million MT, also based on the June 1 standing crop.

If achieved, the projected corn output will represent a 7.3% year-on-year increase.

The expected harvestable area for corn during the three months to June is expected to rise 4.1% year on year to 407,837 hectares.

The yield per hectare for the quarter was expected to rise 3.2% year on year to 3.57 MT.

A total of 309,569 hectares of the updated standing crop, equivalent to 1.18 million MT, has been harvested.

“Of the total area for standing corn at 675,031 hectares, which is to be harvested for July to September 2021, 50.9% were at the vegetative stage, 34.6% at the reproductive stage, and 14.5% at the maturing stage,” PSA said. 

The Department of Agriculture has a palay production target of 20.47 million MT in 2021, against the 19.44 million MT output recorded in 2020. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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