The total volume of palay production in the MIMAROPA Region for 2024 was estimated at 1,157,866 metric tons. Among the provinces in the region, Palawan’s palay production of 453,839 metric tons accounted for the highest share, at about 39.2 percent of the regional production. This was followed by Oriental Mindoro, with a production of 348,832 metric tons (30.1% share), and Occidental Mindoro, with 304,285 metric tons (26.3% share). Meanwhile, the combined palay production from Romblon and Marinduque, totaling 50,909 metric tons, accounted for a 4.4 percent share of MIMAROPA’s total palay production. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Palay produced in the MIMAROPA Region was predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystems, totaling 840,876 metric tons. This accounts for 72.6 percent of the total volume of palay production in the region. Among the provinces, the largest share of palay production from irrigated ecosystems was in Oriental Mindoro, at 85.5 percent. Other provinces in the region where palay production was predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystems during 2024 include Occidental Mindoro (77.4%), Palawan (61.6%), Marinduque (55.9%), and Romblon (52.5%). (Figure 2 and Table 1)

Volume of palay production down by 4.3 percent

The MIMAROPA Region’s palay production of 1,157,866 metric tons in 2024 was lower by 52,518 metric tons, or 4.3 percent, than the estimated 1,210,384 metric tons produced in the previous year. Among the provinces, Occidental Mindoro posted the largest decline, with a decrease of 23,461 metric tons, or 7.2 percent, from the estimated production of 327,746 metric tons in 2023. Other provinces that contribute to the decrease in production includes Oriental Mindoro with 16,617 metric tons decline (4.6%), Palawan with 8,086 metric tons decline (1.8%), Romblon with 3,061 metric tons decline (8.2%), and Marinduque with 1,293 metric tons decline (7.3%). (Figure 3 and Table 1)

Palay production from the irrigated ecosystem in 2024 exhibited a 5.5 percent decrease from 889,478 metric tons in 2023. This decline was attributed to the reduction in palay production from irrigated farms in Occidental Mindoro (24,556 metric tons), Oriental Mindoro (13,729 metric tons), Palawan (5,975 metric tons), Romblon (3,024 metric tons), and Marinduque (1,319 metric tons). (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Moreover, palay production from the rainfed ecosystem in 2024 totaled 316,990 metric tons, which represents a decrease of 1.2 percent, or 3,916 metric tons, from the region’s estimated 320,906 metric tons in the previous year. This decline was attributed to the cutback in the production of palay for Oriental Mindoro (2,888 metric tons), Palawan (2,111 metric tons) and Romblon (37 metric tons). (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Total palay area harvested contracts by 1.3 percent

The total area harvested for all palay ecosystems in 2024 in the MIMAROPA Region reached 306,258 hectares. Among the provinces, Palawan recorded the largest area harvested, at 115,737 hectares, which translates to a 37.8 percent share of the regional area harvested. Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro followed, with corresponding estimated areas harvested of 100,829 hectares (32.9% share) and 74,629 hectares (24.4% share), respectively. Meanwhile, the areas harvested from Romblon and Marinduque lagged at 9,978 hectares (3.3% share) and 5,085 hectares (1.7% share), respectively. (Figure 5 and Table 2)

In 2024, the regional total area harvested exhibited a 1.3 percent decrease, representing a reduction of 3,927 hectares compared to the recorded harvested area of 310,185 hectares in 2023. The decrease in the region’s area of land on which palay was grown and harvested was led by Palawan with a reduction of 1,723 hectares. Other provinces with a reported shrinkage in the area harvested in 2024 include Occidental Mindoro (789 hectares), Romblon (480 hectares), Marinduque (470 hectares), and Oriental Mindoro (464 hectares). (Figure 5 and Table 2)

The area harvested from the region’s irrigated ecosystem went down by 3,274 hectares, or a decline by 1.5 percent compared to the estimated 217,111 hectares in 2023. Occidental Mindoro (1,145 hectares), Palawan (1,248 hectares), Romblon (654 hectares), and Marinduque (395 hectares) contributed to the reduction in the area harvested. (Figure 6 and Table 2)

Moreover, a slight decrease in the region’s area harvested from rainfed ecosystems compared to 2023 was noted. An estimated total of 652 hectares were reduced to the harvested area of rainfed ecosystems, which translates to a decrease of 0.7 percent. The decline in the area harvested was attributed to Oriental Mindoro (633 hectares), Palawan (475 hectares), and Marinduque (75 hectares). (Figure 6 and Table 2)

Average palay yield registered at 3.78 metric tons per hectare    

The annual average palay yield of the MIMAROPA Region in 2024 was recorded at 3.78 metric tons per hectare. Among the provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan exceeded the regional average yield, with corresponding yield of 4.08 metric tons per hectare and 3.92 metric tons per hectare. Meanwhile, Marinduque’s annual average yield of 3.25 metric tons per hectare was the lowest in the region. (Figure 7 and Table 3)

With respect to the average palay yield in 2024, the regional average yield decreased by 3.1 percent. This decline was due to the reduction in average yield in Occidental Mindoro by 0.27 metric ton per hectare (6.2% decline), Oriental Mindoro by 0.15 metric ton per hectare (4.1% decline), Romblon by 0.13 metric ton per hectare (3.8% decline) and Palawan by 0.01 metric ton per hectare (0.3% decline). Meanwhile, Marinduque experienced a 0.04 metric ton per hectare or 1.3 percent uptrend in average palay yield among provinces in the region. (Figure 7 and Table 3)

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

MLLM / RRL / JPR