Western Visayas palay output up 17%

MANILA, Philippines - Palay (unhushed rice) production in western Visayas rose 17.2 percent in the first quarter of the year despite the agricultural damage caused by Typhoon Yolanda in the region last November.

In a report to the head office of the Department of Agriculture, DA Region VI director Larry Nacionales said palay production in Western Visayas rose to 583,873 metric tons (MT) in the first quarter of the year compared to 498,038 MT in the same period last year.

Nacionales said farmers took advantage of government’s cash-for-work program and the interventions provided by the department and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to revive rice fields after the onslaught of the super typhoon.

The DA Region 6 has distributed to farmers a total of 6,986 bags of certified rice seeds valued at P8. 38 million, while the FAO has distributed 9,698 bags of certified seeds valued at P11.63 million.

For fertilizer assistance, DA 6 has distributed 992 bags of complete fertilizer, 345 bags of muriate of potash and 160 liters of foliar fertilizer valued at P199 million, while the FAO distributed 9,698 bags of urea amounting to P8.7 million.

Each beneficiary received one bag of certified seeds and one bag of fertilizer per hectare. Farmers cultivating more than three hectares are given a maximum of three bags of certified seeds and fertilizers.

Favorable weather conditions that prevailed after the storm as well as low incidence of pest and diseases in January to March contributed to the increase in palay production in the first quarter.

The province of Guimaras registered the highest palay production increase 86.5 percent with an output of 11,693 MT, up from 6,271 MT last year.

Palay production in Iloilo was up 43.8 percent to 294,139 MT from 204,618 MT; Negros Occidental’s palay production was up 3.4 percent to  88,750 MT compared to 85,859 MT, while Antique’s was up 3.4 percent  to 61,090 MT from 59,109 MT.

Nacionales is optimistic that Western Visayas would attain its palay production target of 2. 89 MT this year.