PSA forecasts poor palay output due to typhoons

The recent typhoons made a dent on local food production as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimated the country produced less palay (unhusked rice) in the third quarter of this year.

Palay production for the July to September period is projected at 3.35 million metric tons (MT), declining by 11.9 percent from the actual output of 3.8 million MT in the same period a year ago, based on the statistics agency’s report. The volume was also 1.2-percent lower than the PSA’s initial forecast of 3.39 million MT last July 1.

The PSA pegged the total harvest area at 796,277 hectares, down by 14.1 percent while the palay yield per hectare could have dropped by 2.4 percent to 4.20 MT. It noted that only 39 percent or 310,778 ha of crops could be harvested, equivalent to 1.31 million MT of produce. Of which, 83.5 percent were at the maturing stage and the remaining 16.5 percent at the reproductive stage.

Corn production, on the other hand, could have climbed by 2.4 percent to 2.526 million MT from 2.47 million MT in the same period last year. It said harvest area increased by 2 percent to 806,362 ha, with a hectare yielding 3.13 MT, up by 4.3 percent.

About 42.9 percent or 346,226 ha of corn would be harvested, for a total of 1.07 million MT of the produce. Of these, 88.6 percent were at the maturing stage while 11.4 percent were at the reproductive stage. Rice and corn were some of the commodities most battered by the El Niño phenomenon, characterized by dry weather, decreased rainfall and typhoons.

This week, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said 2024 proved to be “a litmus test” for the farm sector as it grappled with a “perfect storm” of challenges caused by high fuel and input costs, droughts and floods also due to the La Niña phenomenon and disruptions in the value chain.

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Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said lessons “from recent challenges should push the agency to do a better job next year.”

The DA had estimated the country loses an average of 500,000 MT to 600,000 MT in palay production annually because of typhoons and other natural calamities. For Supertyphoon Julian (international name: Krathon) alone, the farm sector sustained losses totaling P607.38 million.