Philippine palay production surged to a record second-quarter high, giving the government a timely boost in its bid to stabilize rice prices, although an expected weather-induced slowdown later this year underscores the fragile nature of the gains.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed palay output rose 5.7 percent year on year to 4.63 million metric tons from April to June, the highest ever recorded for the period since comparable data began in 1987.
The increase was driven largely by a 6.5 percent expansion in harvested area to a record 1.04 million hectares, suggesting farmers planted more land amid favorable conditions and stronger government support.
The bumper harvest comes as the Department of Agriculture ramps up palay procurement through the National Food Authority to rebuild buffer stocks while keeping farmgate prices stable.
Yet the record crop also exposed a familiar challenge. Average yield slipped 0.7 percent to 4.47 metric tons per hectare from 4.50 metric tons a year earlier, indicating that production growth continues to rely more on expanding cultivated land than on improving farm productivity.
Cagayan Valley remained the country’s biggest rice-producing region with 1.20 million metric tons, accounting for 25.8 percent of total output. Central Luzon followed with 1.10 million metric tons, while Bicol contributed 346,270 metric tons. Together, the three regions produced more than half of the country’s palay harvest during the quarter.
Central Luzon remained the most productive rice-growing region, posting an average yield of 5.94 metric tons per hectare, ahead of Cagayan Valley’s 5.02 metric tons and Ilocos Region’s 4.94 metric tons.
The strong second-quarter performance, however, may be difficult to sustain.
Based on standing crops as of July 1, the PSA expects palay production in the July-to-September quarter to fall 13.3 percent to 3.25 million metric tons from 3.75 million metric tons a year earlier.
The projected decline aligns with the government’s warning that a strong El Niño later this year could curb rice production, reinforcing its decision to keep rice imports flowing while expanding buffer stocks ahead of the dry season harvest in early 2027.
