Rice, corn output lower in Q2 – PSA
THE Philippines’ rice and corn production likely dropped in the second quarter of 2018 because fewer fields were planted with the crops, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Wednesday.
In its “Rice and Corn Situation and Outlook” report, the state-run statistics agency said rice and corn output probably dipped by 1.44 percent and 3.42 percent to 4.09 million metric tons (MT) and 1.28 million MT in April to June from 4.15 million MT and 1.33 million a year ago, respectively.
The projected volumes reflect the reduced number of harvested rice and corn areas to 932.79 thousand hectares (ha) and 392.24 thousand ha in the quarter from 947.19 thousand ha and 401.51 thousand ha last year, respectively.
Rice yield hit 4.38 MT per ha in the period; corn, down by 1.14 percent to 3.27 MT per ha from 3.31 MT last year.
Reduced rice production was noted in Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley) at 3.25 percent and 12 (South Cotabato,
Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani provinces and General Santos City, or Soccsksargen) at 0.46 percent.
According to the PSA, ample water supply allowed farmers in Cagayan Valley to plant the crop early in some areas in the fourth quarter of 2017, causing the number of harvest areas to drop.
Also, “farmers opted to harvest in the later part of the first quarter to avail [themselves]of [the]good prices offered by traders,” the agency said, noting that some had shifted to planting cassava and sugarcane.
Advance harvesting prompted by hot weather, and the closure or rehabilitation of some of the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) canals in the first quarter, resulted in the decrease in harvest areas in Soccsksargen, it added.
Based on standing crops, probable palay (unhusked rice) production in the third quarter may fall by 1.97 percent from 3.39 million MT last year. Harvest area may shrink by 2.82 percent from 1 thousand hectares in 2017. Yield per hectare may rise to 4.01 MT from 3.98 MT per a year ago.
Production decreases from July to September are predicted in Regions 2, 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces, or Calabarzon), 4B (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan provinces, or Mimaropa) and 12.
For corn, cutbacks in production were seen in Regions 2 and 12 at 3.29 percent and 2.17 percent, respectively; and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), 1.95 percent.
The PSA expects corn output in the third quarter to drop in Cagayan Valley because of the declining number of harvest areas and less rainfall during the planting season.
Data on production and harvest area estimates came from the Monthly Palay and Corn Situation Reporting System, conducted in between palay and corn production survey rounds.
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