To provide essential information on the country’s major crops, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) granted clearance to the conduct of four surveys on palay, corn and other crops to be undertaken nationwide. These surveys aim to generate statistics that will serve as benchmark information to farmers, researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders in their planning, monitoring, program formulation and intervention for the sector.

The surveys cleared for conduct are the following:

1. 2019 Palay and Corn Production Survey (PCPS)

The PCPS is a quarterly survey that generates estimates of palay and corn production and area harvested covering 11,751 palay and 7,544 corn farming households in all provinces of the country except Batanes. The survey will utilize a budget of Php 32.0 million and is expected to be undertaken during the first ten (10) days of April, July, October and December 2019. The results of the survey are scheduled to be released 40 days after the reference quarter as prescribed in the System of Designated Statistics (SDS).

Latest results of the PCPS show that:

i. The October-December 2018 production of palay at 7.2 million metric tons was lower than the 7.3 million metric tons production during the same period in 2017.
ii. Corn output in October-December 2018 at 1.8 million metric tons was 10.8 percent higher than the 1.6 million metric tons recorded during the same period in 2018.

2. 2019 Palay and Corn Stocks Survey (PCSS)

The PCSS intends to generate estimates of current stocks of palay, rice, corn grains and corn grits in farm and non-farm households. With a total budget of Php 17.4 million, the survey will interview 17,562 farming households on the first four (4) days of each month. The PSA targets to release the results of the survey 10 days after the reference month.

Recent results of the PCSS showed that:

i. The country’s total stocks inventory level as of 01 May 2019 was 2,947.4 thousand metric tons. This was 1.3 percent higher than the previous year’s record of 2,909.5 thousand metric tons, and was 12.2 percent more than the previous month’s stock level at 2,627.7 thousand metric tons

ii. On the other hand, the corn stock inventory level as of 01 May 2019 was estimated at 829.1 thousand metric tons. This was 145.1 percent higher than the previous year’s record of 338.3 thousand metric tons and 35.0 percent higher than the previous month’s stock level of 614.0 thousand metric tons.

3. 2019 Monthly Palay and Corn Situation Reporting System (MPCSRS)

The MPCSRS serves as a monitoring system of the growing conditions and actual plantings of palay and corn. Specifically, it aims to update the forecasts for the current quarter based on standing crop for the next quarter based on planting intentions and to provide monthly updates on the area and production of palay and corn by stages of growth (i.e. vegetative, reproductive and maturing) across two countries.

The 2019 MPCSRS will be administered to 9,553 farming households (i.e. 5,836 palay farming households and 3,717 corn farming households) on the first five (5) days of the reference month. A total budget of Php 10.4 million will be used for the survey. Results of the survey will be released 15 days after the reference month.

Based on the results of the latest MPCSRS, it is estimated that:

i. Based on standing crop as of 01 May 2019, the probable palay production for April-June 2019 may decline to 3.8 million metric tons, a drop by 6.5 percent from the previous year’s level of 4.1 million metric tons. Meanwhile, harvest area for palay may contract to 905.6 thousand hectares from the 932.8 thousand hectares level during the same period in 2018.

ii. The probable corn production for April-June 2019 may decline to 1.15 million metric tons from the April round estimates of 1.17 million metric tons. Harvest area for corn may possibly decrease to 374.6 thousand hectares from the 392.4 thousand hectares in 2018.

4. 2019 Crops Production Survey (CrPS)

Conducted on a quarterly basis, the CrPS aims to generate basic production statistics for crops, other than palay and corn, at the provincial, regional and national levels and covers more than 200 crops. The 2019 CrPS targets six (6) to 25 farmers-producers and five (5) large farms/plantations per crop per province to collect data on the volume of production, area planted/harvested, and number of bearing trees/hills/vines. The survey will utilize a budget of Php 28.6 million. The schedule of data collection and release of the 2018 CrPS results are as follows:

Key results from the 1st quarter round of the 2019 CrPS were as follows:

i. The total banana production went down by 1.4 percent, from 2.14 million metric tons in 2018 to 2.11 million metric tons in January to March 2019. More than one third or 37.1 percent of total banana production was contributed by Davao Region. Cavendish banana variety contributed 56.6 percent of the total banana production this quarter at 1.2 million metric tons.

ii. During the period January to March 2019, the production of mung bean/mongo stood at 8.1 thousand metric tons which was an increase of 2.6 percent from 7.9 thousand metric tons in the same quarter a year ago. The largest producer during the period was Ilocos Region which contributed 38.3 percent (3.1 thousand metric tons) share of the mung bean/mongo total production in this quarter.

iii. Production of cassava reached 514.2 thousand metric tons in January-March 2019 which declined by 5.6 percent from 544.8 thousand metric tons in the same quarter of 2018.  Northern Mindanao was the major producer at 172.8 thousand metric tons which represented 33.6 percent of the total cassava production for the quarter.

These agricultural surveys were reviewed and cleared for conduct under the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism being implemented by the PSA by virtue of Rule 28 of Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No.10625 to:

• ensure sound design for data collection;
• minimize the burden placed upon respondents;
• effect economy in statistical data collection;
• eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and
• achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the public is enjoined to support the said statistical activities.

For further information on SSRCS, please contact the Statistical Standards Division (SSD) of the Standards Service (SS) with telephone numbers
(02) 376-1928 and (02) 376-1931, and email address: ssd.staff@psa.gov.ph or ssdss.staff@gmail.com.

CLAIRE DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

See more at the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) landing page.