Palay, corn production may still post higher growth in Q1

The country’s palay (unhusked rice) and corn production may still post higher growth in the first quarter, but this has been lowered due to the typhoons that hit the country at the tail end of 2017.

Latest crops outlook of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed palay production for the January to March period may reach 4.59 million MT, four percent higher than the 4.42 million MT output recorded last year.

However, the latest projection is two percent lower than the 4.67 million MT forecast in the January round.

Harvest area may contract by 3,057 hectares, while yield may decline to 3.86 MT per hectare from 3.92 MT level.

PSA said possible factors contributing to the decrease of palay output include the effects of Typhoons Urduja in Capiz and Vinta in Zamboanga Sibugay, Davao del Norte, and North Cotabato in December last year.

“There is also foreseen decrease in yield due to the occurrence of heavy rains in Isabela, Oriental Mindoro, Leyte and Sultan Kudarat, and rice bug infestation in Tarlac, Iloilo and South Cotabato,” PSA said.

Around 560,000 hectares of the updated standing crop have been harvested, while 822,000 hectares or 90 percent of the planting intentions for the April to June 2018 harvests have been planted.

Of the standing palay crop, 21 percent were at vegetative stage, 43 percent at reproductive stage, and 36 percent at maturing stage.