Unhusked rice, corn output may fall in Q1-PSA data

THE country’s harvest of rice and corn may decline in January to March based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) estimate of standing crops as of February 1.

- By BLESS AUBREY OGERIO

Palay production in the first quarter is projected to reach 4.36 million metric tons (MMT), 7.1 percent lower than the 4.7 MMT recorded a year ago. This figure is also 1.9 percent lower than the agency’s earlier projection of 4.45 MMT as of January 1.

The estimated harvest area is expected to shrink to 1.08 million hectares, 6.2 percent smaller than the previous year’s 1.15 million hectares.

Yield per hectare may also fall slightly to 4.06 metric tons (MT) from last year’s 4.09 MT.