Third-quarter palay output likely below target

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture said Tuesday, October 30, it may have missed its palay output growth target for the third quarter due to successive weather disturbances that occurred during the period.

DA Assistant Secretary and National Rice Program Coordinator Dante Delima said palay production in the third quarter likely grew by an annual 8%, lower than the 12% target. In the same period last year, palay output amounted to 3.17 million metric tons.

Delima said, however, that while typhoons Gener, Ferdie and the southwest monsoon affected rice output, the damage was not significant.

Fourth-quarter harvest, meanwhile, may exceed the production target of 6.36 million MT, 7% higher than last year’s output of 5.94 million MT.

Delima said the projection did not include production gains during the ongoing third cropping.

Delima said 100,000 hectares have been pledged for the third cropping scheme that started in September and due for harvest in December. Of the total area, 80%, mostly in provinces in Regions 2 and 3, have been utilized.

He said that damage inflicted by tropical storm Ofel on palay would not significantly affect fourth-quarter production. Damage to palay caused by the weather disturbance as of October 29 was valued at P144.35 million, covering 15,557 hectares. Deemed lost were 858 hectares of palay, while 14,699 hectares of crops can still recover.

Ofel affected rice lands in Batangas, Cavite, Quezon, Rizal, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The DA has a palay production target of 17.8 million MT for the whole of 2012, down from an earlier target of 18.46 million MT. Harvest in 2011 reached 16.68 million MT.

Delima said the target for the year can still be reached. – Rappler.com