HIGHLIGHTS

The updated October-December 2019 production on palay and corn based on standing crop as of 01 November 2019 may decline from the October 2019 Round estimates.

PALAY

• As of 01 November 2019, palay production for October-December 2019 based on standing crop may decrease to 7.70 million metric tons, 0.4 percent lower than the October 2019 round estimate of 7.73 million metric tons and 7.6 percent higher than the previous year’s output of 7.16 million metric tons (Figure 1). Harvest area may increase by 1.5 percent from 1,847.11 thousand hectares in 2018. Yield per hectare may slightly fall to 4.11 metric tons from 4.12 metric tons.

• Around 1,129.37 thousand hectares or 60.3 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• About  32.9  percent  of  the 1,054.91 thousand hectares standing crop were still at vegetative stage, 18.3 percent at reproductive stage, and 48.8 percent at maturing stage (Figure 2).
• As for the farmer’s planting intentions for October-December 2019, about 310.22 thousand hectares or 26.6 percent of the perceived area have been actually planted.

CORN

• The updated corn production for October-December 2019, based on standing crop as of 01 November 2019, may contract to 1.68 million metric tons, down by 0.7 percent  from  the 1.69 million metric tons estimate in October 2019. This is lower by 6.8 percent from the previous year’s level of 1.81 million metric tons (Figure 3). Harvest area may decrease to 561.47 thousand hectares from 611.80 thousand hectares in 2018. Yield per hectare may increase to 3.00 metric tons from 2.95 metric tons.

• As of 01 November 2019, around 246.66 thousand hectares or 43.9 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• Of the updated 540.40 thousand hectares of standing crop, 44.7 percent were at vegetative stage, 27.1 percent at reproductive stage, and 28.2 percent at maturing stage (Figure 4).
• With reference to the farmer’s planting intentions for October-December 2019, 235.61 thousand hectares or 32.2 percent of the area have been planted.

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