Second quarter palay production in Eastern Visayas increases by 7.9%

By PSA-8
August 17, 2018

TACLOBAN CITY – Palay production in Eastern Visayas increased by 7.9 percent, from 239,600 metric tons (MT) in the second quarter of 2017 to 258,486 MT in the second quarter of 2018. Increases were observed among all provinces, except in Northern Samar, which posted a decrease of 9.3%. Southern Leyte recorded the highest increase in production of 50.3%, from 24,817 in the second quarter of 2017 to 37,306% in the second quarter of 2018.

Among the provinces, Leyte produced the highest volume of palay at 147,221 MT, which comprised more than half (57.0%) of the total palay production in the region. Eastern Samar, meanwhile, had the lowest volume of production (12,215 MT) accounting for only 4.7%.

The total harvest area for palay in the region decreased slightly by 0.2%, from 69,453 hectares in the second quarter of 2017 to 69,289 hectares in the second quarter of 2018. Increases recorded in Biliran (7.0%) and Samar (1.0%) were offset by the decreases registered in Northern Samar (6.8%) and Southern Leyte (2.0%).

Leyte recorded a little over half or 53.6% (37,144 hectares) of the total palay area harvested during the quarter in review, while Biliran contributed the least (4,763 hectares) accounting for only 6.9%.

Yield per hectare for palay in the region went up by 8.8%, from 3.4 MT per hectare in the second quarter of 2017 to 3.7 MT per hectare in the same quarter of 2018.

Among the provinces, Biliran posted the highest yield per hectare during the quarter in review at 4.6 MT per hectare. Eastern Samar registered the lowest yield per hectare at 2.3 MT per hectare.