Local palay output is expected to grow by 3.9 percent to 8.31 million tons in the first semester this year despite the early effects of an anticipated dry spell, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The PSA attributes such forecast to expectations that total harvest area might expand by 2.8 percent to 2.1 million hectares, while yield per hectare might rise by 1 percent to 3.95 tons.
In the first quarter alone, paddy rice production rose 3.3 percent to 4.31 million tons.
For the second quarter, the PSA has pencilled in a 4.6-percent increase in output to reach 4 million tons, based on standing crop.
Also this quarter, total harvest area is expected to continue expanding while yield is seen recovering.
“The high price of palay encouraged more plantings thus, shifting from white corn to palay was noted in Ilocos Region, and motivated farmers particularly in Nueva Ecija to immediately plant after the first quarter harvests,” the PSA said in a report.
The expected overall increase in yield was attributed to the availability of irrigation water and rainfall, more utilization of hybrid and certified seeds and other high yielding seed varieties and increased fertilizer application due to lower prices.
Agriculture officials have reiterated that the effects of the expected occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon on crops may not be felt until the fourth quarter and would be reflected in the harvest of early 2015.
On Monday, the Department of Agriculture announced that crops valued at a total of P823.29 million have so far been lost to the early effects of a looming El Niño phenomenon.
Based on preliminary assessment by the DA’s field units, corn farms were most affected with P583.6 million worth of losses.
These involved 28,105 hectares with foregone harvest equivalent to 45,729 metric tons of corn.
Agriculture officials said the DA would provide affected farmers with seeds and other production inputs.
The DA would also promote water-saving measures among rice farmers and, push for the adoption of “modern and innovative farming and fishery technologies” to mitigate the effects of the anticipated long dry spell.