HIGHLIGHTS 

Based on standing crop as of 01 March 2024, the estimated palay and corn production for the period of January to March 2024 may be higher than the estimated actual harvest in the same period of 2023.    

PALAY     
1. As of 01 March 2024, the estimated palay production based on standing crop for January to March 2024 may increase to 4.82 million metric tons or by 0.8 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 March 2024 exhibited an increase of 0.3 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 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 4.10 metric tons or by 1.0 percent from the previous year of the same period yield per hectare of 4.06 metric tons. (Table 1)

3. As of 01 March 2024, about 677.34 thousand hectares or 57.7 percent of 1.17 million hectares updated harvest area of standing crop have been harvested. This translates to palay output of 2.74 million metric tons. (Tables 1 and 2)

4. Of the total area of 497.52 thousand hectares of standing crop yet to be harvested as of 01 March 2024, 8.8 percent were at the reproductive stage and 91.2 percent were at the maturing stage.(Figure 2 and Table 3)

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

CORN   
1. The estimated corn production based on standing crop for the period January to March 2024 as of 01 March 2024 may increase to 2.64 million metric tons or by 4.8 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 March 2024 indicated a decrease of 1.8 percent from 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 697.35 thousand hectares or by 0.4 percent from 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 3.79 metric tons or by 4.4 percent from its previous year of the same quarter recorded yield per hectare of 3.63 metric tons. (Table 4)

3. As of 01 March 2024, about 413.48 thousand hectares or 59.3 percent of 697.35 thousand hectares updated harvest area of standing corn have been harvested, translating to 1.42 million metric tons of corn output. (Tables 4 and 5)  

4. Of the total area of 283.86 thousand hectares standing corn yet to be harvested as of 01 March 2024, 5.7 percent were at the reproductive stage and 94.3 percent were at the maturing stage. (Figure 4 and Table 6)

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

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