4th quarter palay output estimate cut to 7.54 million MT

THE PHILIPPINE Statistics Authority (PSA) said it reduced its estimate for fourth quarter output of palay, or unmilled rice, to 7.54 million metric tons (MT).

In a report, the PSA said the three months to December projection is 2.6% lower than an earlier estimate of 7.74 million MT released on Oct. 1.

If realized, the projection would represent a 0.6% increase from the 7.49 million MT produced a year earlier.

PSA estimated that palay harvest area for the quarter will fall 0.8% year-on-year to 1.83 million hectares.

Yield per hectare is projected to increase 1.5% year-on-year to 4.13 MT.

“About 1.12 million hectares or 61.3% of the updated standing crop have been harvested,” the PSA said.

“Of the total area of standing palay to be harvested for January to March 2021, 38.1% were at the vegetative stage, 22.9% at the reproductive stage, and 39.1% at the maturing stage,” it added.

Meanwhile, corn output for the fourth quarter has been projected at 1.681 million MT, 0.4% lower than the previous estimate of 1.687 million MT issued on Oct. 1.

If realized, the projection would represent a 1.4% increase from the 1.658 million MT produced a year earlier.

Harvest area for the quarter is expected to increase 0.5% to 561,789 hectares against 559,030 hectares last year.

Yield per hectare is projected to increase 0.7% year-on-year to 2.99 MT.

“About 245,271 hectares or 43.7% of the updated standing crop has been harvested,” the PSA said.

“Of the total area of 595,824 hectares of standing crop for the October to December 2020 harvests, 56.2% were at vegetative stage, 25.7% at reproductive stage, and 18.1% at maturing stage,” it added.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said its production target for palay in 2021 is 20.48 million MT, with some 9.02 million MT targeted for production in the first half of next year. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave