At the same time, first quarter corn production went up 12.8 percent to 1.526 million MT, from 1.353 million MT in the first quarter last year.
Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. said the gains were achieved despite a dry spell in some of the country’s rice-producing regions.
He attributed the improvement to a three-percent rise in palay harvest area to 988,354 MT from 959, 219 MT in 2003, and a six-percent increase in average yield to 3.35 MT per hectare from the previous year’s yield of 3.16 percent.
For corn, the hectarage went up 5.7 percent to 634,602 hectares from 600,378 hectares while the yield per hectare improved by 6.7 percent to 2.4 MT from 2.25 MT in 2003.
"We’re improving our crop productivity due to farmers’ increasing use of hybrid and certified rice seed varieties, proper fertilizer and other input application," Lorenzo said.
Lorenzo said the growth trend could be sustained throughout the year, bolstering hopes the agriculture sector will grow by 3.5 percent to four percent this year.
"The trend is encouraging, we are sticking to our targets," Lorenzo said.
Government is stepping up efforts to support its target to achieve a 97-percent self-sufficiency in rice this year with projected palay production of 14.9 million MT.
Barring natural calamities, Lorenzo said palay production this year will exceed last year’s yield of 13.5 million MT by intensifying the GMA Rice Program.
For the first semester, the DA is projecting palay production to reach 5.91 million MT, up by 10 percent over the same period last year.
Lorenzo said this year’s target can be achieved by using better and higher-yielding hybrid and certified seeds.
Under the GMA rice program, about 400,000 hectares will be planted to hybrid and certified rice seeds with 100,000 and 300,000 hectares targeted for planting in the dry season or from November 2003 to April 2004.
For the wet season or from May-October 2004, the program coverage will be expanded to 550,000 hectares, of which 200,000 hectares will be planted to hybrid and 350,000 hectares to certified seeds.
By 2005, the program’s coverage will further increase to 650,000 hectares wherein 400,000 hectares will be planted to hybrid and 250,000 hectares to certified seeds.
The DA is encouraging farmers to switch to hybrid and certified seeds to increase their farm yields and productivity.