HIGHLIGHTS

The updated October-December 2018 production on palay and corn standing crop as of 01 November 2018 may decline from the October 2018 Round estimates.

PALAY

• As of 01 November 2018, palay production for October-December 2018 based on standing crop may decrease to 7.22 million metric tons, 0.5 percent below the October 2018 round estimate of  7.26  million metric tons and 1.3 percent lower than the previous year’s output of 7.32 million metric tons (Figure 1). Harvest area may fall by 0.8 percent from 1,863.64 thousand hectares level in 2017. Likewise, yield per hectare may decline to 3.91 metric tons from 3.93 metric tons.

• Around 1,125.40 thousand hectares or 60.9 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• About 37.0 percent of the 1,037.30 thousand hectares standing crop were still at vegetative stage, 16.4 percent at reproductive stage, and 46.6 percent at maturing stage (Figure 2).
• As for the farmer’s planting intentions for October-December 2018, about 314.63 thousand hectares or 26.5 percent of the perceived area have been actually planted.

CORN

• The updated corn production for October-December 2018, based on standing crop as of 01 November 2018, may contract to 1.81 million metric tons, down by 0.7 percent from the 1.83 million metric tons estimate in October 2018. This is higher by 11.3 percent from the previous year’s level of 1.63 million metric tons (Figure 3). Harvest area may increase to 611.72   thousand hectares from 571.13 thousand  hectares in 2017. Likewise, yield per hectare may increase to 2.97 metric tons from 2.85 metric tons.

• As of 01 November 2018, around 244.91 thousand hectares or 43.0 percent of the updated standing crop have been harvested.
• Of the updated 627.18 thousand hectares of standing crop, 34.4 percent were at vegetative stage, 35.3 percent at reproductive stage, and 30.3 percent at maturing stage (Figure 4).
• With reference to the farmer’s planting intentions for October-December 2018, about 250 thousand hectares or 34.8 percent have been planted.

ROSALINDA P. BAUTISTA
(Director ll)
Officer-in-Charge
Sectoral Statistics Office