Philippine rice production to fall during fourth quarter

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine rice production is expected to decline for the last three months of the year, since planting has been “frontloaded" during the third quarter, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said. “Anything planted on the ground before September 15 will be harvested within the year. After September 15, it will not be credited for 2008, instead, it will register for 2009 output," Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap told reporters during an agreement signing covering organic fields farming. “There’s no more to plant for the fourth quarter," he added. Estimates released by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said rice production will reach 6.37 million metric tons (MTs), 0.04 percent lower than figures posted for the same period last year. The agency lowered its output projections since areas allotted for planting may have been cut 0.34 percent to 1.640 million hectares from 1.645 million hectares. However, the BAS said that yields per hectare may increase to 3.88 MTs from last year’s 3.87 MTs. The government expects to produce 17.3 million MTs of rice this year, 10 million MTs of which are seen to be harvested during wet cropping from September to November. For the first half, rice production hit 7.12 million MTs, 5.84 percent higher compared to figures posted during the same period a year ago. - GMANews.TV