THE Philippine Statistics Authority said production of palay (unmilled rice) in the third quarter was 3.08 million metric tons (MMT), down 18% from a year earlier.
Commenting on the report, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the decline in palay output was due to high production costs.
“We anticipated the decline in third quarter production, mainly because of the reduction in harvested area. High fertilizer and fuel costs affected farmers’ investment in inputs and, in some cases, their planting decisions,” Agriculture Undersecretary Christopher V. Morales said.
Mr. Morales said El Niño is only one of the factors influencing production data. Others include farmer planting decisions that are skewed towards risk aversion, fertilizer and fuel costs, weather disturbances and irrigation constraints.
The DA also estimated that palay production will fall by around 1 MMT compared to 2025.
The DA is working to ensure continuity of production during El Niño by improving irrigation systems, promoting climate-resilient rice varieties, stepping up farm monitoring and advising farmers on harvest timing to avoid the most damaging dry spells.
“We have more tools now to mitigate the impact,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said, citing improved rice varieties, solar-powered irrigation systems, better weather monitoring, and more responsive crop calendars. — Maria Mikaela H. Tormon
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