PRODUCTION

The deseasonalized palay production in the fourth quarter of 2013 at 4.81 million metric tons was higher by 7.97 percent compared with the third quarter 2013 output of 4.46 million metric tons. The increase was due to movement of harvest from third to the fourth quarter, sufficient water supply from rehabilitated irrigation facilities and rainfall, and availability of quality seeds from DA/PhilRice seed banking program.

Figure 1. Quarterly Palay PRoduction, Philippines, 2007-2013

Year on year, this quarter’s seasonally adjusted production was also higher by 7.53 percent or 337 thousand metric tons than the previous year’s level of the same period.

Figure 2. Quarterly Farmgate Prices of Palay, Philippines, 2008-2013

PRICES

In the fourth quarter of 2013, the seasonally adjusted farmgate price of palay as well as the wholesale and retail prices of rice increased by 3.25 percent, 5.78 percent, and 3.81 percent from their respective levels in the third quarter of 2013.

Figure 3. Quarterly Wholesale Prices of Rice, PHilippines, 2007-2013

This year’s deseasonalized prices at all trading levels were higher than last year’s price quotations.

Figure 4. Quarterly Retail Prices of Rice, Philippines, 2007-2013