PH conditions dampen global rice output

The decline in Philippine rice output due to Typhoon Lando (international name: Koppu) continues to weigh down on the global production outlook, with the volume for 2015 remaining one percent lower at 491 million tons.

According to the latest monthly Market Monitor report of the Agricultural Market Information System (Amis) administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the situation in the Philippines was a major driver of decline along with those in India and Thailand.

The outlook also remained in the shadow of the strong El Niño, which is expected to peak at the end of December.

“Rice conditions remain mixed in part due to the El Niño event affecting large parts of Asia,” the Amis said.

“In the Philippines, conditions are poor in large parts of the northern and central regions due to widespread damage caused by Typhoon (Lando),” the organization said. “In the rest of the country, conditions are generally favorable, however there is some concern in the south over dryness.”

Amis said conditions are drier than average in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Last Tuesday, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Abom) said the El Niño phenomenon was nearing its peak. However, it could fall short of being the worst on record as temperatures were already going down.

“While sea surface temperatures remain close to record-high values, some El Niño indicators are now showing signs of easing,” the Abom said in its latest fortnightly update.

“However, the current El Niño is likely to persist well into 2016,” the agency added. “El Niño indicators, notably sea surface and sub-surface temperatures, westerly wind anomalies in the central Pacific, and cloudiness near the (international) date line, remain well above El Niño thresholds.”

The bureau said while the current El Niño is likely among the three strongest occurrences of the phenomenon in the past 50 years, it has yet to surpass temperatures recorded in 1997-1998 and in 1982-1983.

These include readings below the Pacific Ocean’s surface, which showed more than 12 degrees Celsius above average in 1982-1983 but has so far peaked at around 8 degrees Celsius above average this year.