In the latest survey of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), the government noted that the projected output for the period is 2.7 percent higher than the actual unmilled rice production last year.
“Significant increases in production and harvest area are expected in Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Caraga, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao [ARMM]. These could be attributed to the availability of planting materials and the expected wet summer brought about by the La Niña weather phenomenon,” the report read.
BAS, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), noted that harvest area for palay may increase by 1.4 percent to 2.02 million hectares in the first half of the year.
“Yield per hectare may improve to 3.85 metric ton (MT), from 3.8 MT last year,” the report read.
Based on standing crop, output is projected to reach 4.035 MMT in the first quarter. This is 0.1 percent lower than the 4.037 MMT produced in the same period last year.
“The expected slump in production and harvest area is foreseen in Cagayan Valley and may be attributed to the severe effects of continuous rain in December 2011 on standing crop,” the report read.
Based on farmers’ planting intentions, palay output for April to June could reach 3.747 MMT or almost 6 percent higher than the 3.54 MMT produced in the same period last year.
For the rest of 2012, the DA projected that the country will produce as much as 18.46 MMT. This is 10.67 percent higher than the 16.68 MMT produced by the country in 2011.
Meanwhile, the agency projected corn production to reach 3.48 MMT for the first half. This is 5.1 percent higher than the 3.31 MMT produced in January to June last year.
“Production is expected to increase in Cagayan Valley. This could be attributed to the use of Bt corn and the availability of open pollinated variety (OPV) seeds in Isabela and Nueva Viscaya. In Caraga and ARMM, more plantings are expected because of high demand for corn grits,” the report read.
In January to March, output is expected to reach 1.97 MMT or 3 percent higher than the 1.91 MMT produced in the same period last year.
“[While] the harvest area may decrease, yield per hectare may improve to 3.07 MT in 2012, from 2.93 MT in 2011,” the report read.
The April to June production forecast, said BAS, is pegged at 1.51 MMT or 7.9 percent higher than the output last year.
“Harvest area may get bigger to 498,300 hectares or 11.2 percent higher than last year’s 448,300 hectares,:” the report read.
Last year, corn production reached 6.97 MMT or 10 percent higher than the 6.38 MMT output in 2010.
BAS noted that the “remarkable growth” in output during the first half of 2011 offset the 7.6-percent decline in output during the second half caused by typhoons that hit the country.
