The total volume of palay production in the MIMAROPA Region for the period January to March 2024 was estimated at 247,255 metric tons. Among provinces in the region, Palawan’s palay production of 123,863 metric tons got the highest share of about 50.1 percent in the regional production of palay. This was followed by the production from Oriental Mindoro at 75,017 metric tons (30.3% share) and Occidental Mindoro at 29,700 metric tons (12.0% share). Meanwhile, the combined palay production from Romblon and Marinduque of 18,676 metric tons accounted for 7.6 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 174,549 metric tons. This accounts to 70.6 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 97.6 percent. Other provinces in the region whose palay production was predominantly grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during the first quarter of 2024 were Oriental Mindoro (82.7%), Palawan (59.3%), Marinduque (55.7%) and Romblon (53.1%). (Figure 2 and Table 1)

Volume of palay production down by 8.9 percent

MIMAROPA Region’s palay production of 247,255 metric tons from January to March 2024 was lower by 24,001 metric tons or 8.9 percent than the estimated 271,256 metric tons of palay produced in the same quarter of 2023. Among provinces, Occidental Mindoro posted the largest decline of 26,010 metric tons or 46.7 percent cutback from the estimated 55,710 metric tons production in the first quarter of 2023. Oriental Mindoro followed with a decrement of 2,842 metric tons or a 3.7 percent decline relative to their respective production of 77,859 metric tons relative to the same quarter of 2023. (Figure 3 and Table 1)

Palay production from the rainfed ecosystem in the first quarter of 2024 at 72,707 metric tons slightly increased by 0.12 percent or 90.67 metric tons higher than the region’s estimated total production of 72,616 metric tons during the same quarter of the previous year. This was contributed by 3,257 metric tons increase in palay production from Palawan. (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Meanwhile, palay grown and harvested from irrigated ecosystem during January to March 2024 exhibited a 12.1 percent decrease at 174,549 metric tons from 198,640 metric tons during the first quarter of 2023. The decrease was contributed by the cutback in the production of palay from irrigated farms in Occidental Mindoro (25,387 metric tons), Oriental Mindoro (2,107 metric tons), Romblon (1,832 metric tons), and Marinduque (13 metric tons). (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Total palay area harvested contracts by 3.0 percent

The total area harvested for all palay ecosystems during January to March 2024 in the MIMAROPA Region reached 65,090 hectares. Among provinces, Palawan recorded the largest area harvested at 31,715 hectares, which translates to a 48.7 percent share to the regional area harvested. Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro followed with corresponding estimated area harvested of 20,332 hectares (31.2% share) and 7,180 hectares (11.0% share). Meanwhile, the area harvested from Romblon and Marinduque lagged at 3,796 hectares (5.8% share) and 2,067 hectares (3.2% share), respectively. (Figure 5 and Table 2)

The regional total area harvested exhibited a 3.0 percent decrease or a reduction by as much as 2,010 hectares compared to the recorded harvested area of 67,099 hectares from the first quarter of 2023. Occidental Mindoro led in the decrease of the region’s area of land on which palay were grown and harvested with less 3,785 hectares. Romblon followed with a reported decrease of 498 hectares. (Figure 5 and Table 2)

During January to March 2024, a slight increase in the region’s area harvested on rainfed ecosystems was noted relative to the first quarter of 2024. A total of 522 hectares were added from the irrigated ecosystem’s area harvested, which translates to an increase by 2.5 percent. The increase in the area harvested was contributed by Palawan (2,317 hectares) and Marinduque (32 hectares). (Figure 6 and Table 2)

On the other hand, the area harvested from the region’s irrigated ecosystem went down by nearly 2,532 hectares or 5.5 percent lower than the estimated 46,180 hectares in the first quarter of 2023. Occidental Mindoro (3,627 hectares) and Romblon (169 hectares) contributed for the reduction in the area harvested. (Figure 6 and Table 2)

Average palay yield registered at 3.80 metric tons per hectare    

The annual average palay yield of the MIMAROPA Region during January to March 2024 was registered at 3.80 metric tons per hectare. Among provinces in the region, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan exceeded the regional average yield at 4.14 metric tons per hectare and 3.91 metric tons per hectare, respectively. Meanwhile, Romblon’s annual average yield of 3.16 metric tons per hectare posted the lowest average yield. (Figure 7 and Table 3)

With respect to the average palay yield during the first quarter of 2024, the regional average yield decreased by 6.0 percent. This was contributed by the decrease in the average yield in Occidental Mindoro (18.6%), Romblon (13.2%), Oriental Mindoro (3.3%), Marinduque (1.8%), and Palawan (0.5%). (Figure 7 and Table 3)

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

MLLM / RRL / RSS