DA slashes palay output target to 20.4 M tons

The Department of Agriculture (DA) slashed its palay production target for the year to 20.4 million metric tons (MT) after taking into consideration the impact of El Niño on domestic farms.

- BJASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The new palay production target is about two percent lower than DA's earlier target, which was 20.8 million MT, according to Agriculture spokesman Arnel de Mesa.

De Mesa said the new palay production target is "more realistic," considering the possible losses that rice farms may incur this year due to El Niño.

Nonetheless, De Mesa noted that it is still above the 20.06 million MT record palay harvest last year.

He said the country would have sufficient rice supply despite the reduction in output, thanks to imports that have already exceeded 1.5 million MT at the end of April.

The drivers for the higher palay output this year would be the anticipated expansion in area harvested as more farms are planted with hybrid and inbred seeds and higher mechanization level, De Mesa said.