HIGHLIGHTS

Based on standing crop as of 01 February 2024, the estimated palay and corn production for the period of January to March 2024 may increase its level compared with the estimate of actual harvest in the same period of 2023.

PALAY

1. As of 01 February 2024, the estimated palay production based on standing crop for January to March 2024 may increase to 4.83 million metric tons or by 1.1 percent from its actual output of 4.78 million metric tons in the same period of 2023. The updated estimate of palay production for the period January to March 2024 as of 01 February 2024 exhibited an increase of 0.6 percent from its estimate of 4.80 million metric tons as of 01 January 2024. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Figure 1. January-March Palay Production Estimates, 2023-2024

2.The estimated harvest area based on standing crop for the period January to March 2024 may decrease to 1.17 million hectares or by 0.1 percent from the 1.18 million hectares of actual harvested area in the same period of 2023. Based on standing crop for the period January to March 2024, the yield per hectare of palay may increase to 4.11 metric tons or by 1.2 percent from the previous year’s same period yield of 4.06 metric tons. (Table 1)

3.As of 01 February 2024, about 318.57 thousand hectares or 27.1 percent of the 1.17 million hectares updated harvest area of standing crop have been harvested. This translates to palay output of 1.29 million metric tons. (Tables 1 and 2)

4.Of the total area of 856.31 thousand hectares of standing palay yet to be harvested as of 01 February 2024, 6.7 percent were at the vegetative stage, 56.9 percent at the reproductive stage, and 36.5 percent were at the maturing stage. (Figure 2 and Table 3)

Figure 2. Area of Standing Palay by Stage of 
Development as of 01 February 2024

CORN

1. The estimated corn production based on standing crop for the period January to March 2024 as of 01 February 2024 may increase to 2.67 million metric tons or by 5.9 percent from its actual estimate of 2.52 million metric tons in the same period of 2023. Meanwhile, the updated estimate of corn production based on standing crop as of 01 February 2024 indicated a decrease of 0.8 percent from the 2.69 million metric tons recorded estimate as of 01 January 2024. (Figure 3 and Table 4)

Figure 3. January-March Corn Production Estimates, 2023-2024

2.Harvest area based on standing crop for the period January to March 2024 may increase to 711.47 thousand hectares or by 2.5 percent from the 694.39 thousand hectares actual estimate of harvest area in the same period of the previous year. Similarly, the yield per hectare of corn may increase to 3.75 metric tons or by 3.3 percent from its previous year’s same quarter record of 3.63 metric tons. (Table 4)

3. As of 01 February 2024, about 229.35 thousand hectares or 32.2 percent of the 711.47 thousand hectares updated harvest area of standing corn have been harvested, translating to a 723.27 thousand metric tons of corn output. (Tables 4 and 5)

4. Of the 482.13 thousand hectares of standing corn yet to be harvested as of 01 February 2024, about 2.2 percent were at the vegetative stage, 51.8 percent at the reproductive stage, and 46.0 percent at the maturing stage. (Figure 4 and Table 6)

Figure 4. Area of Standing Corn by Stage of 
Development as of 01 February 2024

DIVINA GRACIA L. DEL PRADO, PhD 
Assistant Secretary 
Deputy National Statistician 
Sectoral Statistics Office