Record Harvest of Palay Reported in Q1 of 2021

During the first quarter of the year, rice farmers were reported to have harvested 4.63 million metric tons (MT) of palay according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). This translates to a 9% rise compared to the same period of the previous year and surpasses the record harvest observed in 2018.

Areas harvested and palay yield both improved by 5% and 4%, respectively. Philippine Rice Research Institute director John De Leon associates production growth with these two improvements.

A series of typhoons provided farms with above-normal rainfall during the last quarter of the previous year, enabling them to accomplish a quick “turn-around” planting. This is what led to the growth in areas harvested, said De Leon.

“This record first-quarter yield further boosts our confidence to hit, or even surpass, the 20.4 million MT palay production target we set this year, barring strong typhoons and other natural calamities,” said Agriculture secretary William Dar.

“Our palay farmers are confident to continue planting rice, contrary to what detractors were peddling at the start of the implementation of the changes in the country’s rice policy,” he added.

Earlier, President Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 135 which cuts the tariff rates for rice to 35% from 40-50%. This was done in order to “diversify the country’s market sources, augment rice supply, keep prices affordable, and reduce pressures on inflation,” said the Office of the President.

However, certain industry leaders have since questioned and expressed concerns behind the policy change. Federation of Free Farmers chair Raul Montemayor said it was “baseless and unnecessary.”

“Like a thief in the night, EO 135 was issued while everyone else was working on the pork tariff compromise. This was done behind our backs, as we, the stakeholders, the Senate, and the economic team of the government were forging a compromise,” explained Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura chair Rosendo So.

Source: Inquirer