The country’s palay production for October-December 2018, at 7.16 million metric tons, was lower than the 7.32 million metrics tons production in 2017 or by 2.2 percent. Harvest area contracted by 16 thousand hectares from the previous year’s level of 1,864 thousand hectares. Yield per hectare dropped from 3.93 metric tons in 2017 to 3.87 metric   tons in 2018 (Table 1.1).

  o Substantial decrements in output were noted in Cagayan Valley (0.15 million metric tons) and Ilocos Region (0.13 million metric tons).

  o Reduction in harvest area was largest in ARMM, followed by Ilocos Region, Bicol Region, and CALABARZON.

Production for January-December 2018 at 19.07 million metric tons, declined slightly by 1.1 percent compared with the 2017 output. Similarly, harvested area and yield were lesser by 0.2 percent and 0.9 percent than their respective levels in the previous year (Table 1.2).

Probable palay production from January to March 2019 based on standing crop may increase by 0.49 percent, from the previous year’s level of 4.62 million metric tons.