Palay and corn production are poised for significant growth in the second quarter of 2025, latest estimates by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
PSA estimates palay output at 4.36 million metric tons (MMT) based on standing crops as of May 1—up more than 13 percent from the 3.85 MMT recorded in the same period in 2024. The latest estimate is also slightly higher than the 4.34 MMT projection based on April 1 data.
The higher crop output were likely driven by improved weather, increased government support, and stronger procurement efforts.
Supporting this growth is a projected 9.2 percent expansion in harvest area to 972,730 hectares, along with an expected improvement in yield to 4.48 metric tons per hectare—up from 4.32 MT last year. The PSA attributes the positive outlook to favorable weather conditions, stepped-up government interventions, and increased palay procurement by the National Food Authority (NFA), which has encouraged farmers to plant and invest more in their fields.
Meanwhile, corn production is also projected to surge. The PSA pegs second-quarter corn output at 1.487 MMT, based on standing crops as of May 1—27 percent higher than the 1.17 MMT posted in the same quarter last year. The harvest area for corn is forecast to expand by 16 percent to 402,690 hectares.
The latest data underscore the agriculture sector’s strong rebound, particularly in staple grains, and highlight the importance of continued government support and better condition. El Niño resulted in a prolonged dry spell in the first half of 2024 at weighed on agricultural output.
