The Philippines is expected to end 2023 with a volume of palay production reaching over 20 million metric tons (MT), according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“We’re expecting bago matapos ang taon, ang total natin for the year is 20 million metric tons o mataas ng konti doon,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

(We’re expecting that before the year end, the total output for the year will be 20 million metric tons or a little over that.)

The expected over 20 million MT national palay production could be a record high for the country.

The DA official said that adding the estimated total rice imports of around 3.2 million MT to 3.3 million MT, the national rice stock inventory would be able to cover 85 to 90 days’ worth of daily requirements of Filipinos.

“[This] is enough to cover the requirements until the next harvest season in March,” de Mesa said.  —VAL, GMA Integrated News

Published Date: December 16, 2023