Manila: The Philippines’ local palay (unhusked rice) production may hit as high as 20.4 million metric tons (MMT) this year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday. “We’re now hopeful we could do better than 2023,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to “restore” the PHP10 billion budget cut for rice production.
According to Philippines News Agency, the country registered a record-high 20.06 MMT palay production in 2023, before being affected by the El Ni±o phenomenon, successive weather disturbances, and La Ni±a, which negatively impacted the rice production in 2024. “Ang target this year ay (Our target for this year is) 20.4 million metric tons. This is higher by almost 400,000 metric tons from the record harvest in 2023,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview.
De Mesa highlighted that favorable weather conditions are anticipated, alongside the programs and activities set to boost production. This optimism is underpinned by interventions and the Secretary’s confidence in achieving the projected harvest level. There are funds allocated to support this endeavor, including PHP21 billion for the rice program under the 2025 general appropriations and the PHP30-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which was increased from the previous PHP10 billion collected from duties on imported rice under the amended Rice Tariffication Law.
He also mentioned the request for an additional PHP10 billion for the rice program, which Marcos ordered to be restored. Achieving the 20.4 MMT palay production target is expected to reduce rice imports. The country’s rice imports were 4.78 MMT in 2024 as local production fell to 19.3 MMT, primarily due to the adverse weather conditions.
“From 19.3 million metric tons na palay, aakyat ‘yun ng (of palay, it will increase to) 20.4 MMT. That’s more than one MMT. So that’s a huge jump. It will have an impact, of course, doon sa level ng (in the level of) importation,” he added.
