Total palay production increased 5.96 percent to 16.24 million metric tons last year, according to a report submitted by the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
From only 15.33 million MT in 2006, the GMA Rice Program achieved a total production of 16.24 million MT in 2007 with a total effective rice area of 4.27 million hectares (ha).
According to the BAS report for 2007, the gross value of the crop sub-sector, including palay and corn, based on current prices, went up 11.03 percent last year to P510.3 billion.
At current prices, total harvests for 2007went up 12.16 percent in gross value to P182.052 billion.
The increase in production is being attributed to the Department of Agriculture’s intervention measures to boost yields and contain the adverse impact of the climate change during the second and third quarters of 2007.
The quick turn-around (QTA) planting program from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15 last year managed to raise harvests of palay to 350,000 MT.
GMA Rice Program national coordinator Dr. Frisco M. Malabanan said the growth was also due to the ongoing restoration of irrigation systems, provision of post-harvest drying facilities, usage of high quality genetic materials and further expansion of the total area planted to hybrid and inbred rice certified seeds, and other components of the program.
Malabanan said the use of inbred certified seeds for planting at subsidized cost in the rainfed-lowland areas also contributed to the increased palay production last year.
He said the DA is intensifying its coordination and collaboration with local government units and is providing location-specific interventions such as the use of zinc sulfate, Bio-N and muriate of potash to increase yield levels.
The DA is also promoting cost-reducing techniques such as the integrated pest management (IPM) and Tipid Abono Balanced Fertilization Scheme.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said “the growth in production shows that given enough support from the National Government, local executives, and the private sector, the country would eventually realize its goal of being 95- percent rice self-sufficient by 2010.