HIGHLIGHTS

The updated January-March 2020 production on palay and corn based on standing crop as of 01 March 2020 may decline from both January-March 2020 forecast and January-March 2019 final estimates.

PALAY

• Based on standing crop as of 01 March 2020 (updated), palay production may decrease to 4.25 million metric tons or 0.8 percent from the initial estimate as of 01 January 2020 of 4.28 million metric tons. The updated January-March 2020 estimated palay production indicates a possible downtrend of 3.8 percent in the period January-March 2020, from previous year’s output of 4.42 million metric tons (Figure 1).

• Harvest area may decrease by 4.8 percent, from 1,153.19 thousand hectares in 2019. Yield per hectare may rise slightly to 3.87 metric tons, from 3.83 metric tons in the previous year.
• About  540.14  thousand  hectares or 49.2 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• Of the total area of standing palay, 21.8 percent were at vegetative stage, 36.7 percent at reproductive stage, and 41.5 percent at maturing stage (Figure 2).
• As for the farmer’s planting intentions for January-March 2020, 652.98 thousand hectares or 65.0 percent of the perceived area have been actually planted.

CORN

• The January-March 2020 corn production based on standing crop as of 01 March 2020 (updated) may reach 2.40 million metric tons, lower by 1.1 percent than the estimated  corn  production  as  of 01 January 2020 of 2.43 million metric tons. The updated estimate of corn production for January-March 2020 may be lower by 0.9 percent from the previous year’s level of 2.43 million metric tons (Figure 3).

• Harvest area may reduce to 698.97 thousand hectares, from 706.26 thousand hectares in 2019. Yield per hectare may slightly increase to 3.44 metric tons from the 3.43 metric tons level in the previous year.
• About 466.20 thousand hectares or 66.7 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• Of the 497.48 thousand hectares total area of standing crop, 25.3 percent were at vegetative stage, 28.0 percent at reproductive stage, and 46.7 percent at maturing stage (Figure 4).
• Around 264.71 thousand hectares or 64.8 percent of the planting intentions for January-March 2020 crop have been realized.

ROSALINDA P. BAUTISTA
Assistant Secretary
Deputy National Statistician Sectoral Statistics Office