During October to December 2021, the total volume of palay production in the MIMAROPA Region was estimated at 592,117 metric tons. Among provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro’s palay production of 240,628 metric tons got the highest share of about 40.6 percent in the regional production of palay. This was followed by the production in Oriental Mindoro at 175,183 metric tons (29.6 percent share) and Palawan at 154,816 metric tons (26.1 percent share). Meanwhile, the combined palay production from Romblon and Marinduque of 21,490 metric tons was accounted to 
3.6 percent share in the MIMAROPA’s total palay production.

Palay produced in the MIMAROPA Region were predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem at 380,281 metric tons. This accounts to 64.2 percent of the total volume of palay production in the region. Among provinces, the largest share of palay production from irrigated ecosystem was in Oriental Mindoro at 83.8 percent. Other provinces in the region whose palay production were predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during fourth quarter of 2021 were Marinduque (57.1 percent), Occidental Mindoro (56.5 percent), and Palawan (55.8 percent).

Meanwhile, palay produced in Romblon was predominantly grown and harvested from rainfed ecosystem. This accounts to 50.5 percent share of province’s total production of palay.

Volume of palay production went up by 2.0 percent

MIMAROPA Region’s palay production of 592,117 metric tons during October to December 2021 was higher by 11,431 metric tons or 2.0 percent with respect to 580,686 metric tons of palay produced last fourth quarter of 2020. Among provinces, Occidental Mindoro posted the largest increase of 44,580 metric tons or 22.7 percent additional production from the same quarter in the previous year. Marinduque followed with a corresponding increment of 749 metric tons (14.2 percent) relative to its production during fourth quarter of 2020.

Palay grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during October to December 2021 exhibited a slight decline by 1.1 percent at 380,281 metric tons from 384,361 metric tons from the same quarter of the previous year. The decrease was contributed by the cut back in the production of palay from irrigated farms in Oriental Mindoro (16,735 metric tons), Palawan (14,673 metric tons), and Romblon (2,063 metric tons).

Meanwhile, palay production from rainfed ecosystem was observed in the fourth quarter of 2021 at 211,835 metric tons, an increase by 15,510 metric tons from the region’s total production of 196,325 metric tons during the same quarter of the previous year. The upsurge was due to the additional palay production from rainfed ecosystem in Occidental Mindoro (15,454 metric tons), Marinduque (483 metric tons), and Palawan (475 metric tons).

Total palay area harvested expanded by 3.3 percent 

Total area harvested for all palay ecosystems during October to December 2021 in the MIMAROPA Region reached 152,275 hectares. Among provinces, Occidental Mindoro recorded the largest area harvested at 58,710 hectares. Oriental Mindoro and Palawan closely followed with corresponding reported area harvested of 
46,141 hectares and 41,238 hectares. Meanwhile, the area harvested from Romblon and Marinduque lagged behind at 4,254 hectares and 1,931 hectares, respectively.

The regional total area harvested experienced an increase by 3.3 percent or 4,894 hectares compared to the recorded harvested area of 147,381 hectares last fourth quarter of 2020. Occidental Mindoro led in the expansion of the region’s area of land on which palay were grown and harvested with an additional 4,202 hectares. Palawan and Oriental Mindoro followed with a reported increase of 1,189 hectares and 116 hectares, respectively.

During October to December 2021, an increase in the area harvested of the region was noted on both irrigated and rainfed ecosystems. Area harvested on rainfed ecosystem went up by 3,121 hectares or 5.6 percent from 55,709 hectares last fourth quarter of 2020 to 58,830 hectares in the same quarter of 2021. The expansion of area harvested was contributed by Palawan (2,165 hectares), Occidental Mindoro (976 hectares), Oriental Mindoro (131 hectares), and Marinduque (14 hectares).

Likewise, the area harvested for irrigated ecosystem in the region increased by 1,773 hectares or 1.9 percent from 91,672 hectares last fourth quarter of 2020 to 93,444 hectares during fourth quarter of 2021. Occidental Mindoro (3,226 hectares) and Marinduque (24 hectares) were accounted for the increase in the area harvested.

Average palay yield reached 3.89 metric tons per hectare            

The annual average palay yield of the MIMAROPA Region during October to December 2021 was at 3.89 metric tons per hectare. Among provinces in the region, only Occidental Mindoro exceeded the regional average yield at 4.10 metric tons per hectare. Meanwhile Marinduque’s annual average yield of 3.12 metric tons per hectare posted the lowest average yield.

With respect to the average palay yield during October to December 2020, the regional average yield went down by 1.3 percent. This was contributed by the experienced decline in the average yield in Palawan (11.0 percent) and Oriental Mindoro (9.3 percent). On the other hand, the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Marinduque posted a significant increase in the yield by 14.0 percent and 11.9 percent, respectively. 

TECHNICAL NOTES

Palay Production Survey (PPS) is a major quarterly agricultural survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Its main objective is to generate estimates on palay production, area and yield, and other production-related data. Production data from this survey serves as direct inputs in the value of production in the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries, and to the computation of the Gross Domestic Product. In addition, this survey also supports the data needs of planners, policy and decision makers on palay, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector, particularly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies such as Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), and the general public.

Data gathered in PPS are as follows: (1) production, area planted/harvested and yield by ecosystem and by seed type; (2) usage of seeds, fertilizer and pesticides; 
(3) source of irrigation water and adequacy, monthly distribution of production and area harvested; (4) farm household disposition of production; and (5) area with standing crop, farmer’s planting intention for the quarter.

Definition of Terms

Palay production refers to the quantity of palay produced and actually harvested during the reference period. It includes those harvested but damaged, stolen, given away, consumed, given as harvesters’ and thresher’s shares, reserved, etc. Palay production from seed growers which are intended for seed purposes is excluded from the survey.

Two ecosystem types are considered in palay production. These are as follows:

1.  Irrigated ecosystem refers to area with irrigation facilities supplying water through gravity, force/power, pump, and other artificial means. 

2. Palay grown on a rainfed ecosystem has dikes that retain water and solely dependent upon rainfall for its water supply. 

Area harvested refers to the actual area from which harvests are realized. This excludes crop areas which were totally damaged. For palay, the harvest area refers to the effective area harvested during the reference quarter.

Yield is an indicator of production derived by dividing the total production by the area harvested.