Palay production grows by 6.7% in the first quarter of 2021

By PSA-8
June 16, 2021

TACLOBAN CITY – Palay production in Eastern Visayas increased by 6.7 percent, from 252,869 metric tons (MT) in the 1st quarter of 2020 to 269,853 MT in the same quarter of 2021. This is attributed to a notable 10.5 percent expansion in the total area harvested for palay from 75,600 hectares (Ha) in the 1st quarter of 2020 to 83,522 Ha in the same quarter of 2021. Likewise, the hefty increase in production was due to the increase in the production in Northern Samar by 73.5 percent during the reference period.

The Province of Leyte contributed the biggest share in palay production in Eastern Visayas at 139,207 MT during the 1st quarter of 2021 (Table 1). It comprised more than half or 51.6 percent of the total palay production in the region. Samar came next with 52,865 MT production, accounting for 19.6 percent of the region’s total palay production.

Northern Samar followed with 40,228 MT production contributing 14.9 percent share to the total production. Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte shared 7.2 percent (19,377 MT) and 4.7 percent (12,600 MT), respectively. Biliran had the least contribution at 2.1 percent (5,576 MT) of the total palay production in the region.

All provinces except Biliran and Leyte registered increases in area harvested for palay. Northern Samar posted the biggest increment at 76.7 percent from 8,575 Ha in the 1st quarter of 2020 to 15,155 Ha in the same quarter in 2021. Likewise, area harvested for palay in Eastern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte increased by 17.8 percent, 2.0 percent, and 0.5 percent, respectively.

Among the provinces, Southern Leyte recorded the highest yield per hectare at 4.36 MT/Ha during the 1st quarter of 2021. This figure was 1.9 percent lower compared with the 4.45 MT/Ha recorded in the same quarter of 2020.

Biliran followed at 4.32 MT/Ha, 0.7 percent lower than its 4.35 MT/Ha recorded in the 1st quarter of 2020. Leyte ranked third with 4.21 MT/Ha, also a 0.7 percent lower compared with its figure in the same quarter of 2020. Northern Samar ranked fourth with 2.65 MT/Ha, a decrease of 1.8 percent from 2.70 MT/Ha recorded in the same quarter of 2020. Samar registered a 2.33 MT/Ha in the 1st quarter of 2021, a decrease of 2.1 percent from 2.38 MT/Ha in the same quarter in 2020.