BAS sees 0.1% increase in palay production in first half of 2013

Palay production for the first six month of 2013 is expected to reach 7.90 million metric tons (MT), a flat growth estimate from the production level in the same period last year, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said in a report. In the report, BAS placed palay production at 7.90 million MT in January to June 2013—0.1 percent higher than the 7.89 million MT produced a year ago. BAS said that for the first half of 2013, harvest area may grow by 0.1 percent to 2.038 million hectares from 2.036 million hectares last year, while yield per hectare may remain the same as in 2012 at 3.88 MT. Based on standing crop, production for January-March 2013 is forecast to reach 4.27 million MT, higher by 7.1 percent than the output of 3.99 million MT in the same period in 2012. Probable harvest area is placed at 1.12 million hectares, or 3.8 percent bigger than the 2012 record of 1.08 million hectares. “This could be attributed to movement of cropping to the first quarter due to the impending El Niño phenomenon forecasted by PAGASA,” BAS said. Based on farmers’ planting intentions, the forecast from April-June 2013 indicates reductions in production, harvest area and yield by 6.9 percent, 4.1 percent and 3 percent, respectively. “Because of the impending El Niño phenomenon according to PAGASA, some farmers are still hesitant to plant while others have not yet recovered from the losses incurred from typhoon damages during the fourth quarter of 2012,” BAS said. In 2012, total palay production reached a record 18.03 million MT, surpassing the 2011 output of 16.68 million MT by 8.1 percent. The major contrubuting provinces were Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region and Bicol Region. — KBK, GMA News