Palay output seen to hit 7.78 MT in H1

MANILA, Philippines - First half palay production is now expected to reach 7.977 million metric tons based on preliminary palay production figures of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) for the months of April and June this year of 3.94 MMT.

This was revealed Friday by Minda C. Mangabat of the crops division of the BAS during a forum on rice conducted by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) in Quezon City.

However, Mangabat qualified that the 3.94 MMT palay production for the months of April and June would still be finalized over the weekend before submission to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.

The Department of Agriculture-BAS has originally forecast a first half production of 7.61 MMT based on actual palay production for the first quarter of 4.037 MMT and an estimate for April-June palay production based on April production figures of 3.573 MMT.

However, based on the BAS preliminary palay figures for April and June, the production figures have increased to 3.94 MMT.

A first half palay production of 7.977 MMT would reflect a 20.4 percent growth from the first half production last year (2010) of 6.621 MMT.

Mangabat told participants to the rice forum that the higher rice production figures this year is a recovery from the 2010 production figures which were adversely affected by several strong typhoons.