Adverse weather has diminished palay production across the Philippines by an estimated 386,960.34 metric tons (MT) since the start of the year, the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.
This developed even as DA assistant secretary Arnel de Mesa also estimated the Philippines loses up to 600,000 MT of the crop annually from typhoons.
As consequence of both the El Niño and La Niña, this year’s losses could breach levels.
“It depends on when the full effects of the La Niña is felt but the recent typhoons have brought so much water. Still, this is not yet the full effects of the La Niña,” de Mesa said.
The DA said 386,960.34 MT of palay have thus far been lost this year, the bulk or 330,717.09 MT attributable to El Niño.
Another 20,735.77 MT may be traced to the combined effects of shearling, northeast monsoon and the trough of a low pressure area. Another 2,991.74 MT is attributable to Typhoon Aghon and still another 18,628.79 MT to the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and typhoon Carina.
The DA said the aggregate figure is expected to climb as another 13,886.95 MT attributable to tropical storm Enteng is only an estimate pending more complete reports from local government units.
Already, the price of local well-milled rice ranges from P48 to P55 per kilo and regular rice from P45 to P50 per kilo, based on DA monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region.
The price of imported well-milled rice ranges from P49 to P55 per kilo while imported regular rice sells for P46 a kilo.
Imported special variety rice sells from P57 to P65 a kilo and from P52 to P58 a kilo for premium rice.
Domestic special variety rice sells from P57 to P65 a kilo while the premium variety sells from P51 to P58 a kilo.
