The country’s rice inventory in April dipped by 11 percent to 1.64 million metric tons (MMT) because of lower rice stocks held by households, commercial traders and the National Food Authority (NFA).
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (NFA) said the inventory posted annual decreases from the NFA depositories by 58 percent, from the commercial sector by 9.1 percent and from households by 7.6 percent.
But compared to March this year, this level is 20.2 percent more with households having 35 percent; commercial by 5.1 percent and from NFA by 0.7 percent, PSA said.
Rice held by commercial traders stood at 662,600 metric tonds (MT), households had 938,010MT and NFA 41,560MT. Last March, rice inventory held by households was at 35 percent; commercial traders by 5.1 percent and NFA by 0.7 percent.
Because of the drought brought by El Nino, production of unmilled rice (palay) in the first three months fell by 2 percent to 4.69 MMT from 4.78MMT in the comparative period of 2023.
Central Luzon was the top palay producer at 775,640 MT or 16.6 percent share, followed by Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas at 754,830 MT (16.1 percent) and 648,140MT (13.8 percent) or with a collective share of 46.5 percent. Central Luzon had the highest yield at 5.09 MT/ha. while the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley trailed at 4.94 MT and 4.90 MT, respectively.”
“Area harvested with palay from January to March 2024 was estimated at 1.17 million hectares. This indicates a decrease of 0.1 percent from 1.18 million hectares area harvested in the same quarter of 2023,” PSA said.
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