Palay output seen flat this year

The country’s full-year palay production could match the record-high output of 20.06 million metric tons (MT) last year at best as the sector continues to reel from various weather disturbances, an agriculture official said.

- JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The damage to the rice sector caused by prolonged hotter and drier weather conditions due to El Niño in the first half proved to be damaging in the overall outlook in the country’s output.

The country’s production from January to June fell by nearly 500,000 MT on an annual basis because of the extreme weather condition.