HIGHLIGHTS

The updated July-September 2019 production on palay and corn standing crop as of 01 August 2019 may decline from the July 2019 Round estimates.

PALAY

• As of 01 August 2019, estimate of palay production for the period July-September 2019 based on standing crop is 3.057 million metric tons, 0.2  percent  below  the July  2019  round  estimate  of 3.064 million metric tons. Palay production may also be lower by 4.3 percent from its previous year’s output of 3.196 million metric tons (Figure 1). Harvest area may decline by 91.45 thousand hectares from its level during the same period of 2018 of 824.80 thousand hectares. Yield per hectare may increase to 4.17 metric tons from 3.88 metric tons.

• Of the 733.34 thousand hectares updated standing crop level in 2019, around 84.54 thousand hectares or 11.5 percent have been harvested.
• About 64.0 percent of the 1,564.53 thousand hectares standing crop were at vegetative stage, 24.6 percent at reproductive stage, and 11.4 percent at maturing stage (Figure 2).
• As for the farmers’ planting intentions for the period October-December 2019, about 915.72 thousand hectares or 48.1 percent of perceived area have been actually planted.

CORN

• The  updated  corn  production  from July to September 2019 based on standing crop as of 01 August 2019 may contract to 2.76 million metric tons, a decrease of 0.1 percent from the 2.77 million metric tons estimate in July 2019, but higher by 25.3 percent from the previous year’s level of 2.20 million metric tons (Figure 3). Harvest area may increase to 873.45 thousand hectares in 2019, from 789.39 thousand hectares in 2018. Likewise, yield per hectare may increase to 3.16 metric tons, from 2.79 metric tons in 2018.

• Around 127.53 thousand hectares or 14.6 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• Of the 952.30 thousand hectares standing crop, 39.1 percent were at reproductive stage. About 36.1 percent and 24.8 percent were at maturing and vegetative stage, respectively (Figure 4).
• With reference to the farmer’s planting intentions for the period October-December 2019, 206.37 thousand hectares or 34.5 percent have been planted.

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