The total volume of palay production in the MIMAROPA Region for the period April to June 2024 was estimated at 193,797 metric tons. Among provinces in the region, Oriental Mindoro’s palay production of 90,086 metric tons got the highest share of about 46.5 percent in the regional production of palay. This was followed by the production from Palawan at 51,941 metric tons (26.8 percent share) and Occidental Mindoro at 49,037 metric tons (25.3 percent share). Meanwhile, the combined palay production from Romblon and Marinduque of 2,733 metric tons accounted for 
1.4 percent share in the MIMAROPA’s total palay production. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Palay produced in the MIMAROPA Region were predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem at 165,859 metric tons. This accounts to 85.6 percent of the total volume of palay production in the region. Among provinces, the largest share of palay production from irrigated ecosystem was in Occidental Mindoro at 100.0 percent. Other provinces in the region whose palay production was predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during the second quarter of 2024 were Oriental Mindoro (88.1 percent), Palawan (68.9 percent), Romblon (65.8 percent), and Marinduque (60.7 percent). (Figure 2 and Table 1)

Volume of palay production down by 8.1 percent

MIMAROPA Region’s palay production of 193,797 metric tons from April to June 2024 was lower by 16,982 metric tons or 8.1 percent than the estimated 210,779 metric tons of palay produced in the same quarter of 2023. Among provinces, Oriental Mindoro posted the largest decline of 7,409 metric tons or 7.6 percent cutback from the estimated 97,495 metric tons production in the second quarter of 2023. Palawan followed with a decrement of 4,362 metric tons or a 7.8 percent decline relative to their respective production of 56,303 metric tons relative to the same quarter of 2023. Occidental Mindoro ranked third with a cutback of 3,372 metric tons (6.44% decline) from the same quarter of 2023. (Figure 3 and Table 1)

Palay grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during April to June 2024 exhibited a 6.9 percent decrease at 165,859 metric tons from 178,170 metric tons during the second quarter of 2023. The decrease was contributed by the cutback in the production of palay from irrigated farms in Oriental Mindoro (4,687 metric tons), Occidental Mindoro (3,372 metric tons), Palawan (2,660 metric tons), Marinduque (1,038 metric tons) and Romblon (554 metric tons). (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Moreover, palay production from the rainfed ecosystem in the second quarter of 2024 at 27,938 metric tons decreased by 14.32 percent or 4,671 metric tons lower than the region’s estimated total production of 32,608 metric tons during the same quarter of the previous year. This was contributed by 2,722 metric tons decrease in the palay production from Oriental Mindoro and a 1,702 metric tons cutback from Palawan’s palay production. (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Total palay area harvested contracts by 5.0 percent

The total area harvested for all palay ecosystems during April to June 2024 in the MIMAROPA Region reached 52,455 hectares. Among provinces, Oriental Mindoro recorded the largest area harvested at 26,345 hectares, which translates to a 50.2 percent share to the regional area harvested. Palawan and Occidental Mindoro followed with corresponding estimated area harvested of 13,675 hectares (26.1 percent share) and 11,614 hectares (22.1 percent share). Meanwhile, the area harvested from Marinduque and Romblon lagged at 461 hectares (1.0 percent share) and 361 hectares (1.0 share), respectively. (Figure 5 and Table 2)

The regional total area harvested exhibited a 5.0 percent decrease or a reduction by as much as 2,760 hectares compared to the recorded harvested area of 55,216 hectares from the second quarter of 2023. Palawan led in the decrease of the region’s area of land on which palay were grown and harvested with less than 1,062 hectares. Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro followed with a reported decrease of 828 hectares and 399 hectares, respectively. (Figure 5 and Table 2)

During April to June 2024, the area harvested from the region’s irrigated ecosystem went down by nearly 1,526 hectares or 3.4 percent lower than the estimated 45,054 hectares in the second quarter of 2023. Palawan (594 hectares) and Occidental Mindoro (399 hectares) contributed for the reduction in the area harvested. (Figure 6 and Table 2)

Moreover, a decrease in the region’s area harvested on rainfed ecosystems was noted relative to the second quarter of 2024. A total of 1,235 hectares were reduced from the rainfed ecosystem’s area harvested, which translates to a decrease by 12.2 percent. The decrease in the area harvested was contributed mainly by Oriental Mindoro (704 hectares) and Palawan (468 hectares). (Figure 6 and Table 2)

Average palay yield registered at 3.69 metric tons per hectare    

The annual average palay yield of the MIMAROPA Region during January to March 2024 was registered at 3.69 metric tons per hectare. Among provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan exceeded the regional average yield at 4.22 metric tons per hectare and 3.80 metric tons per hectare, respectively. Meanwhile, Marinduque’s annual average yield of 3.20 metric tons per hectare posted the lowest average yield. (Figure 7 and Table 3)

With respect to the average palay yield during the second quarter of 2024, the regional average yield decreased by 3.2 percent. This was contributed by the decrease in the average yield in Marinduque (9.1%), Oriental Mindoro (4.7%), Occidental Mindoro (3.2%), Romblon (2.3%), and Palawan (0.6%). (Figure 7 and Table 3)

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

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